bucharest tourist information centre

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Bucharest General Information

Location: Southern Romania Elevation: 190 - 295 ft (55 - 90 m) Size: City of Bucharest - 88 sq.miles (228 sq.km); Bucharest Metropolitan area - 587 sq.miles (1,521 sq.km) Inhabited since: 500 BC First documented: 1459 AD Population: 1.921 milion

Known for its wide, tree-lined boulevards, glorious Belle Époque buildings and a reputation for the high life (which in the 1900s earned its nickname of "Little Paris"), Bucharest, Romania's largest city and capital, is today a bustling metropolis.

Romanian legend has it that the city of Bucharest was founded on the banks of the Dambovita River by a shepherd named Bucur, whose name literarily means "joy." His flute playing reportedly dazzled the people and his hearty wine from nearby vineyards endeared him to the local traders, who gave his name to the place.

House of the Free Press (Casa Presei Libere)

Address: Piata Presei Libere 1 (map)

An impressive edifice standing in the northern part of the city, since 1956, Casa Scanteii (as it is still universally known) was designed by architect Horia Maicu. The building is a smaller replica of the Lomonosov University in Moskow - Russia (inaugurated in 1953). Between 1956 and 1989, the House of the Free Press housed almost all of Romania's capital printing presses and headquarters of print media companies. Today, Casa Presei Libere carries out much the same function but the southern wing is now the home of the Bucharest Stock Exchange.

The Arch of Triumph (Arcul de Triumf)

Address: Piata Arcul de Triumf (map)

Initially built of wood in 1878 to honor the Romanian soldiers who won the Independence War, Bucharest's Arch of Triumph was rebuit in 1922 and redecoreted in 1936 with base reliefs carved in granite brought from Deva (Transylvania). Designed by the architect, Petre Antonescu, the Arch stands 89 feet high. An interior staircase allows visitors to climb to the top for a panoramic view of the city. The sculptures decorating the structure were created by leading Romanian artists, including Ion Jalea, Constantin Medrea and Constantin Baraschi.

Calea Victoriei (Victory Way)

Calea Victoriei is Bucharest's oldest and arguably, most charming street. Designed in 1692 to connect the Old Princely Court to Mogosoaia Palace, the street (initially named Podul Mogoșoaiei) was originally paved with oak beams. The street became Calea Victoriei in 1878, after the Romanian War of Independence victory. Between the two world wars, Calea Victoriei developed into one of the most fashionable streets in the city.

Stroll along this street from Piata Victoriei to Piata Natiunilor Unite to discover some of the most stunning buildings in the city, including the Cantacuzino Palace , the Revolution Square , the Military Club , National Savings Bank Palace and the National History Museum .

Cantacuzino Palace (Palatul Cantacuzino)

Address: Calea Victoriei 141 Admission charge

Grigore Cantacuzino was thought to be one of Romania's wealthiest citizens in 1899. As Prime Minister, it was his wish to have the most elegant residence in Bucharest. Using the designs of architect Ion Berindei, the Cantacuzino Palace was built between 1898 and 1900 in eclectic French style. Combining a neoclassical architectural style with art nouveau elements, it features wrought iron balconies, tall arched windows and a porte-cochere (an elegant wrought-iron doorway) flanked by two lions. Today, the palace houses the George Enescu Museum (more information) .

Revolution Square (Piata Revolutiei)

The square's importance stretches back long before the dramatic events of the 1989 Revolution. On the far side of the square stands the former Royal Palace , now home to the National Art Museum , the stunning Romanian Athenaeum and the historic Athenee Palace Hotel . At the south end of the square, you can visit the small, but beautiful, Kretzulescu Church .

The Royal Palace (Palatul Regal)

Address: Calea Victoriei 49 - 53 (map)

Erected between 1927 and 1937 in neoclassical style, the palace was home to King Carol II and to his son, King Mihai I, until 1947, when the monarchy was abolished in Romania. It was inside the halls of this palace that King Mihai, aged 18, led a coup that displaced the pro-Nazi government during the World War II and put Romania on the Allies' side. Today, the former Royal palace houses the Romanian National Art Museum (more information) .

The Romanian Athenaeum (Atheneul Roman)

Address: Str. Benjamin Franklin 1 (map) Tel: 021 315.00.26 or 315.25.67 www.fge.org.ro

The lobby has a beautifully painted ceiling decorated in gold leaf, while curved balconies cascade in ringlets off a spiral staircase.A ring of pink marble columns is linked by flowing arches where elaborate brass lanterns hang like gems from a necklace. Inside the concert hall, voluptuous frescoes cover the ceiling and walls. Renowned worldwide for its outstanding acoustics, it is Bucharest's most prestigious concert hall and home of the Romanian George Enescu Philharmonic.

Kretzulescu Church (Biserica Cretulescu)

Address: Calea Victoriei 47 (map)

Nestled amid the other historical buildings in Piata Revolutiei, this small red-brick Orthodox church was built in 1722 by the great chancellor Iordache Kretzulescu and his wife, Safta (a daughter of Constantin Brancoveanu) in the Brancovenesti architectural style. The interior frescoes were executed around 1860 by the famous Romanian painter Gheorghe Tattarescu.

Royal Palace Great Concert Hall (Sala Palatului)

Located next to the Royal Palace, the concave-roof structure was built in 1960 to accommodate the 3,000 Communist party members who every five years attended the communist party congress. It was on this stage that Nicolae Ceausescu would deliver his vision of a multilaterally developed socialist society. Today, the massive auditorium plays host to various conferences and events, including some of the George Enescu International Festival concerts.

The Military Club (Cercul Militar National)

Address: Blvd. Regina Elisabeta 21 (map) Tel: 021 313.86.80

The Palace of the Savings Bank (Casa de Economii si Consemnatiuni / CEC)

Address: Calea Victoriei 11 - 13 (map)

Boasting one of the most impressive neoclassical facades in the city, this structure was built in the 19th century to the design of French architect Paul Gottereanu (who between 1875 and 1900 designed more than 50 buildings in the city, to house the first Romanian Savings Bank. The square-shaped palace has a large central dome with metallic ribs separated by glass, which allows natural light to come in; there are also four smaller domes. The arch at the entrance, with its Corinthian columns, is a highlight of any architectural tour of the city.

Old Town Bucharest (Centrul Vechi)

Lipscani area.

At the beginning of 1400s, most merchants and craftsmen - Romanian, Austrian, Greek, Armenian and Jewish - established their stores and shops in this section of the city; a jumble of streets between Calea Victoriei, Blvd. Bratianu, Blvd. Regina Elisabeta and the Dambovita River. Soon, the area became known as Lipscani, named for the many German traders from Lipsca or Leiptzig. Other streets took on the names of various old craft communities and guilds, such as Blanari (furriers), Covaci (blacksmiths), Gabroveni (knife makers) and Cavafii Vechii (shoe-makers). The mix of nationalities and cultures is reflected in the mishmash of architectural styles, from baroque to neoclassical to art nouveau.

Today, the area is home to art galleries, antique shops, coffeehouses, restaurants and night-clubs. While walking in the narrow cobblestone streets one can imagine the long-gone shopkeepers outside near their stores, inviting bypassers to buy their merchandise.

Old Princely Court & Church (Palatul si Biserica Curtea Veche)

Address: Strada Franceza 25 - 31 (map) Tel: 021  314.03.75 Museum open: Mon. – Sun 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Admission charge

At the centre of the historic area are the remains of the Old Princely Court (Curtea Veche), built in the 15th century by Vlad Tepes, also known as Vlad Dracula. According to local lore, Vlad kept his prisoners in dungeons which commenced beneath the Princely Court and extended under the city. All that remains today are a few walls, arches, tombstones and a Corinthian column.

The Old Court Museum was established in 1972 when an archaeological dig revealed the remains of the fortress, along with Dacian pottery and Roman coins, evidence of Bucharest's earliest inhabitants. The oldest document attesting to the city's origin under the name of Bucuresti (Bucharest) was discovered here. It was issued on September 20, 1459 and signed by Prince Vlad Tepes.

Next to the palace stands the Old Court Church (Biserica Curtea Veche) , dating from 1559 and considered the oldest in Bucharest. For two centuries, the church served as coronation ground for Romanian princes. Some of the original 16th century frescoes have been preserved.

Manuc's Inn (Hanul lui Manuc)

Address: Str. Franceza 62 - 64 (map) Tel: 021 313.14.11

The Beer Wagon Restaurant (Carul cu Bere)

Address: Strada Stavropoleos 3 - 5 (map) Tel: 021 313.75.60

The Beer Wagon restaurant and beer house became, soon after the opening in 1879, one of the most popular meeting places for Bucharest's literati who would gather to discuss matters of their time. Its neo-gothic architectural style is reflected both in the façades and the interior decorations: columns, arches, chandeliers, a wooden staircase, furniture and murals on the walls and ceiling.

National Bank of Romania (Banca Nationala a Romaniei)

Address: Str. Lipscani 25 (map)

The National Bank of Romania (BNR) stands on the site of one of the most famous buildings in Romania: the Hanul Serban Voda, which from 1678 until 1883 was the home of various institutions ranging from a pub to an inn to a girl's dormitory! After two fires gutted the building, however, the land was leveled and in 1883, work began on the BNR, completed to the designs of French architects Cassien Bernard and Albert Galleron in 1885. Built in neoclassical French style, the building boasts a facade with Corinthian columns and an enormous central banking hall. The passing of time has left its marks on the building, but it remains a classic worthy of admiration.

University Square (Piata Universitatii)

In the middle of the square, on a little island, 10 stone crosses pay respect to those killed during the 1989 revolution. Below the square is an underground passage with shops and eateries, allowing pedestrians to cross from one side of the square to another and to access the subway station.

University of Bucharest (Universitatea Bucuresti)

Address: Blvd. Regina Elizabeta (near University Square) (map)

Bucharest remains first and foremost a hub of higher education. The University of Bucharest was founded in 1864 by Alexandru Ioan Cuza, ruler of the newly united principalities of Walachia and Moldova. Work on the neoclassical building began in 1857 and finished in 1859.

Between the two World Wars, the libraries and corridors of the University hosted an impressive number of Romanian personalities, including Mircea Eliade, Emil Cioran, Eugène Ionesco, Sergiu Celibidache.

Year-round, you can find book merchants near the University building selling anything from antique books, records, discontinued newspapers and illustrated broadsheets from another age to secondhand books.

Coltea Hospital (Spitalul Coltea)

Address: Blvd. I.C. Bratianu 1 (map)

The oldest hospital in Bucharest, dating from 1704, Coltea was built on land belonging to the Vacaresti family, who at the time owned many of the great prosperities of the capital. The original building was destroyed by an earthquake in 1802, and the neoclassical building standing today dates from 1888.

The church next to the hospital is the original 1701 construction, and is currently undergoing much-needed renovation.

The hospital remains a functioning public health centre; you may enter only if you have official business.

The church, however, is open to all, and the saintly silhouettes on the ceiling are admirable.

Sutu Palace (Palatul Sutu)

Address: Blvd. I. C. Bratianu 2 (near University Square) (map)

Famous for the grandiose balls held here in the 1900s, Sutu Palace was built in neogothic style between 1832 and 1834 by foreign minister Costache Sutu, to designs of architects Johann Veit and Konrad Schwinck. In 1862, the palace was redecorated by sculptor Karl Storck, who created three arcades and a monumental stairway; a huge Murano mirror was added in the hallway. Only the painted ceilings, the stucco, the parquet flooring and the tile stoves have been preserved.

Since 1959, the building has housed the Bucharest History & Art Museum (see details).

Communist legacy

Parliament palace (palatul parlamentului).

Open to visitors: Mon. - Sun. Bucharest Palace of Parliament Hours and Admission (guided tours in English available)

Built at the special request of Nicolae Ceausescu, leader of Romania's Communist Party, the colossal Parliament Palace - formerly known as "People's House" ( Casa Poporului ) - is the world's second largest administrative building after the U. S. Pentagon. It took 20,000 workers and 700 architects to build this masive structure that boasts 12 stories, 1,100 rooms, a 350-ft.-long lobby and eight underground levels, including an enormous nuclear bunker.

The Palace of Parliament it is the world's second-largest office building (floor area) and the third largest in volume (after Cape Canaveral Space Centre in the U.S. and the Great Pyramid in Egypt)

The crystal chandelier in the Human Rights Hall (Sala Drepturilor Omului) weighs 2.5 tons.

Some of the chandeliers have as many as 7,000 light bulbs.

When construction started on June 25, 1984, the building was intended it to be the headquarters of the country's Communist government. Today, it houses Romania's Parliament, Bucharest International Conference Centre and Romnaia's Museum of Modern Art. Built, furnished and decorated exclusively with materials sourced and made in Romania, the building reflects the work of the country's best artisans. A guided tour takes visitors through a small section of dazzling rooms, huge halls and quarters used by the Senate (when not in session). The interior is a luxurious display of crystal chandeliers, mosaics, oak paneling, marble, gold leaf, stained-glass windows and floors covered in rich carpets.

Planing your visit:

Valid passport or national Identity Dard is required to gain access to the Palace of Parliament.

Large groups: reservations are strongly recommended. Please E-mail a tour reservation request containing the following information: - number of participants, - exact date & approximate time of arrival, - coach license plate, - guide (English or French language) - type of tour desired (standard, standard + terrace or standard + terrace + the underground).

Group tours need to be reconfirmed, on the day prior to the visit — please call 021 311.36.11

Palace of Parliament Visiting Rules and Regulations

Romania’s Parliament Palace, Bucharest Facts and Figures :

• Location 1 mile southwest of Bucharest Old Town ( Centrul Vechi ), on the very place (called Dealul Arsenalului – Armory Hill) on which, in 1935, king Carol II of Romania had planned to build Romania’s House of Representatives ( Camera Deputatilor ).
• Public transportation Nearest bus station: Pod Izvor (Bus # 104, 123, 124, 136, 385), 7 minutes walk Nearest subway station: Izvor (M1), 5 minutes walk
• Size: Height: 282 ft. (89 metres) Width: 788 ft. (240 metres) Length: 886 ft. (270 metres) Number of stories: 12 above ground and 8 underground Built-up area: 3.8 million sq. ft. (359,000 sq.m.) Foot print: 7,1 million sq. ft. (66.000 sq.m.) Volume: 90 million cu. ft. (2.55 million cu. metres)
• The Palace of the Romanian Parliament is the world's Heaviest Building!
• Quantities of construction materials used to build the Palace: 35.3 million ft³ (1,000,000 m³) of marble 31.8 million ft³ (900,000 m³) of different essences of wood 2.2 million ft³ (200,000 m³) of glass 4.4 billion lbs. (2 million tonnes) of sand 1.5 billion lbs. (700,000 metric tones) of steel and bronze 12.1 million lbs. (5,500 tonnes) of cement 2.2 million lbs. (1,000 de tonnes) of basalt stone 177 million ft³ (5,000,000 m³) of concrete
• Materials used for finishes and decorations: 7.8 million lbs. (3,500 de tonnes) of crystal 2.4 million ft² (220.000 m²) of carpets 37,675 ft² (3,500 m²) of calf skin 2,800 chrystal chandeliers 1,409 ceiling light fixtures and mirrors
• Other facts: 20.000 cars can be parked in the underground of the building, The underground has two anti-atomic shelters with 5 ft. thick walls w radioactive radiation protection, There are 1,100 rooms, 34 large function/ conference halls (fixed-seats or open-space), four restaurants, three libraries, two underground parking and one concert hall. With only three exceptions, all the materials used to build the palace have been produced or made in Romania. The exceptions are: -- small quantities of exotic wood that cannot be found in Romania, -- the doors of Nicolae Balcescu Conference Hall, a gift received by Nicolae Ceausescu from Mobutu Sese Seko at the time President of the Republic of Zaire / today Democratic Republic of Congo), -- ventilation pumps with special filters, imported from Sweden.

The Civic Centre (Centrul Civic)

Nicolae Ceausescu's building megalomania is perhaps best illustrated by with the construction of the Civic Centre, an area located at the south end of the Palace of Parliament along Bulevardul Unirii. The redevelopment of the area was supervised by Romania's Communist leader himself. More than three square miles ( eight square km. or 2,000 acres) of buildings in the old section of the city (including private residences, shops, two churches, a hospital and a noted Art Deco sports stadium) were leveled to make room for the construction of Stalinist apartment buildings topped with neoclassical follies.

Historic Churches

Saint apostles' church (biserica sfintii apostoli).

Address: Str. Sfintii Apostoli 1 (map) Tel: 021 336.07.84

One of the oldest churches in Bucharest (with parts dating back to the 16th century and a steeple built in 1715), the Apostles' Church is brimming with some rather strange portraits that are well worth seeing.

Metropolitan Church (Biserica Patriarhiei)

Address: Aleea Dealul Mitropoliei (map)

The Byzantine interior, containing the most dazzling of the city's iconostasis, as well as a couple of exquisitely carved side altars, bestows great beauty on the services presided over by the Romanian Patriarch. A huge crowd gathers here for the Easter midnight service.

The outstanding bell-tower at the entrance was built in 1698 and restored in 1958. Next to the church, and closed to the public, is the Patriarchal Palace (1708), residence of the Teoctist , supreme leader of the Romanian Orthodox Church.

Stavropoleos Church (Biserica Stavropoleos)

Address: Str. Stavropoleos 4 (map) Tel: 021  313.47.47

The Stavropoleos Church was built in 1724 by the Greek monk Ioanikie Stratonikeas. Featuring a combination of Romanian and Byzantine architecture, it has a beautiful façade and a delicately carved columned entrance. Surrounded by a peaceful garden, it is an architectural jewel, with beautiful frescoes and wood-painted icons. The mass (in Romanian) is worth viewing if you can find room in this small and cozy church.

St. Joseph's Cathedral (Catedrala Sfantul Iosif)

Address: Str. G-ral Berthelot 19 (map) Tel: 021 312.12.08

Constructed in red brick between 1873 and 1884, this Roman Catholic cathedral is an architectural masterpiece combining both gothic and Roman elements. Organ recitals are held every week.

St. Nicolas Church (Biserica Sfantul Nicolae)

Address: Str. Ion Ghica 9 (map) Tel: 021 314.64.50

Built in 1909 by the Russian Tsar Nicholas II for 600,000 gold rubles, this Orthodox Church has a wooden, gold-gilded iconostasis allegedly modeled after the altar in the Archangelskiy Cathedral in Moscow.

Jewish Bucharest

Bucharest is home to one of the oldest and most important Jewish communities in Romania. Sephardic Jews arrived here in the 16th century. Around the beginning of the 17th century, during the Cossack uprising, the first Ashkenazi Jews came from Ukraine and Poland. A sacred brotherhood, a charity box and a prayer house were registered in 1715.

Some of the synagogues built during the 18th and 19th century also featured ritual baths (mikve). By 1832, 10 holy houses had been established. Their number would increase significantly before the end of the century, almost every one having its own Rabbi and cult performers.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Jewish population in Bucharest numbered 40,000 people with 70 temples and synagogues. From this great number, only a few survived the brutality of history - fascism and communism - and two still serve the city's present Jewish community.

Dr. Moses Rosen Museum of the History of the Jewish Community in Romania (Muzeul de Istorie al Evreilor din Romania)

Address: Str. Mamulari 3 Tel: 021 311.08.70 Web: www.romanianjewish.org Open: Mon. - Wed. & Fri. - Sun. 9:00am - 1:00pm; Thu. 9:00am - 4:00pm Free Admission

Housed in the magnificently preserved Great Synagogue (1850) in the city's historically Jewish neighborhood, this museum traces the history of Romania's Jewish population. The displays include a collection of books written, published, illustrated or translated by Romanian Jews; a small collection of paintings of and by Romanian Jews (many of the same artists' works hang in the National Museum of Art) and memorabilia from Jewish theatres including the State Jewish Theatre.

The museum also contains a large collection of Jewish ritual objects from Romania, collected by Rabbi Moses Rosen (1912-1994), the late Chief Rabbi of the Romanian Jewry.

Choral Temple (Templul Coral)

Address: Str. Sfanta Vineri 9 (map) Tel: 021 312.21.96

Yeshoah Tova Synagogue

Address: Str. Tache Ionescu 9 (map)

In a busy side street going towards Piata Amzei from Magheru Bulevard stands the only other functioning synagogue in the city apart from the Choral Temple. Services take place at Sabbath hour on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Bucharest Jewish Community (Comunitatea Evreilor din Bucuresti)

Address: Str. Sf. Vineri 9 -11 Tel: 021 313.17.82

Bucharest Museums

Art collections museum (muzeul colectiilor de arta).

Address: Calea Victoriei 111 Tel: 021  212.96.41 www.mnar.arts.ro Admission charge

Founded in 1978, the Art Collections Museum, a branch of the National Art Museum, houses private collections donated over the course of time. Collections include European as well as Oriental art works.

Bucharest History & Art Museum (Muzeul Municipiului Bucuresti)

Address: Blvd. I.C.Bratianu 2 Tel: 021  315.68.58 www.muzeulbucurestiului.ro Open: Wed. - Sun. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Closed Mon. & Tue. Admission charge

Housed in the neoclassical Sutu Palace (1834), the museum features some 300,000 artifacts, from coins, books, maps, engravings, paintings, arms and furniture to old traditional costumes. Among the most valuable exhibits are the document attesting for the first time the name of the city of Bucharest, issued by Vlad Tepes in 1459, and a sword set in precious stones that belonged to Prince Constantin Brancoveanu (1688-1714).

Communist Iconography Museum

Address: Sos. Kiseleff 3 (inside the Romanian Peasant Museum)

A small, but fascinating, room is home to an interesting collection of communist-era bust sculptures (including that of Lenin), paintings and memorabilia.

Cotroceni Palace & Museum (Muzeul National Cotroceni)

Address: Str. Geniului 1 Tel: 021  317.31.07 or 430.44.85 www.muzeulcotroceni.ro Open: Tue. - Sun. 9 am - 5 pm; Closed Mon. Admission charge (Guided tours are available in English) Note: Visits by appointment only; please call for reservations.

A former royal residence built between 1679 and 1681 by Prince and ruler Serban Cantacuzino, the palace was home to King Carol I, who made important changes in its architecture. At the end of the 19th century, Heir-to-the-Crown Ferdinand ordered the partial demolition of the palace, which was later reconstructed by French architect Paul Gottereau in neoclassical style. In 1977, Nicolae Ceausescu transformed it into an official guesthouse with the addition of a new wing.

After 1990, the old wing of the palace became a museum. The Oriental Hall, the Norwegian Hall and the Queen's Chamber are almost unchanged from the original design and are worth visiting. Very important collection of medieval art also can be seen here. The new wing serves as the seat of the Romanian Presidency.

George Enescu Museum (Muzeul National George Enescu)

Address: Calea Victoriei 141 Tel: 021  318.14.50 www.GeorgeEnescu.ro Open: Tue. - Sun. 10:00am - 5:00pm; Closed Mon. Admission charge

Grigore Antipa Natural History Museum (Muzeul National de Istorie Naturala)

Address: Sos. Kiseleff 1 Tel: 021  312.88.63 www.antipa.ro Open: Tue - Sun 1 am - 8 pm (last admission 7 pm). Closed on Mondays. Admission charge

Recently renovated, this museum is the largest natural history museum in Romania, housing collections of reptiles, fish, birds and mammals. More than 300,000 artifacts and specimens are on display, including a dinosaur fossil. A whole floor is dedicated to sea life and features examples of whales, dolphins and seals. The museum also contains a beautiful butterfly collection.

Minovici Museum of Ancient Western Art (Muzeul de Arta Veche Apuseana)

Address: Str. Dr. Minovici 3 Tel: 021  665.73.34 www.MuzeulBucurestiului.ro Admission charge

In addition to the small renaissance art collection of Dumitru Minovici, who made barrels of lei in the oil business in the 1930s, the museum features Belgian tapestries, Dutch furniture, Swiss stained glass, a complete library and Italian paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries.

Museum of the Romanian Peasant (Muzeul Taranului Roman)

Address: Soseaua Kiseleff 3 Tel: 021  317.96.60  www.MuzeulTaranuluiRoman.ro Open: Tue. - Sun. 10 am - 6 pm; Closed Mon. Admission charge

Opened in 1906, the museum features the richest folk art collection in Romania, with over 90,000 artifacts that trace the colorful and diverse cultural life of the Romanian people. The Pottery Collection includes some 18,000 items, representative of the most important pottery centres in the country. The oldest ceramic item found in the museum bears the inscription 1746. Equally impressive, the Costume Collection comprises almost 20,000 traditional folk costumes, some dating from the beginning of the 19th century, giving visitors insight into the styles and traditions of the Romanian peasants.

The displays dip into all aspects of life in the Romanian countryside. Exhibits of agricultural tools, carpets, icons, furniture, photographs and films build up a complete picture of Romanian folk culture. In one of the galleries, you can see a wooden church and in another, a wooden peasant house. Four more wooden churches stand in the outdoor museum area. In 1996, the museum was named European Museum of the Year . Visitors can buy regional handcrafts and textiles in the museum's extensive gift shop.

National Art Museum (Muzeul National de Arta)

Address: Calea Victoriei 49-53 Tel: 021  313.30.30 www.mnar.arts.ro Open: Wed. – Sun.. 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. (May - September); Wed. - Sun. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. (October - April); Closed Mon. & Tue. Admission charge (English guided available)

National Geological Museum (Muzeul National de Geologie)

Address: Sos. Kiseleff 2 Tel: 021  212.89.52 www.Geology.ro Open: Mon. - Sun. 10 am - 4 pm Admission charge

Impressive collections of minerals and quartz formations specific to the area are found here, including a well-presented geological structure of Romania's territory.

  National History Museum (Muzeul National de Istorie al Romaniei)

Address: Calea Victoriei 12 Tel: 021  315.82.07 www.mnir.ro Open: Wed. - Sun. 10 am - 6 pm; Closed Mon. and Tue Admission charge

Housed in a 1900s neoclassical building that once served as the city's main post office, the museum offers a great introduction to the exciting history of Romania. Spread throughout 41 rooms, the exhibits recount the country's development from prehistoric times to the 20th century. The highlight is the National Treasury Hall where visitors can enjoy a dazzling display of some 3,000 gold items, including jewelry and valuable Neolithic artifacts.

Among the displays are the 12 pieces of the 4th century Pietroasele Treasure Collection. First presented at the 1867 World's Fair in Paris, it was considered the most valuable treasure collection in the world (the tomb of Tutankamon had not yet been discovered). One year later, the collection was displayed at the Second Annual International Exhibition in London and in 1872, at the International Exhibition in Vienna.

National Military Museum (Muzeul Militar National)

Address: Str. Mircea Vulcanescu 125-127 Tel: 021  638.76.30 www.MuzeulMilitar Open: Tue. - Sun. 9 am - 5 pm; Closed Mon. Admission charge

Founded in 1972, the museum illustrates the most important battles for independence and freedom in Romanian history. The museum features collections of Oriental and Occidental weapons, Romanian and foreign uniforms, military medals and awards, trophies, artillery, canons and airplanes as well as a library of historical military documents.

The centerpiece is the 1989 Revolution exhibit, displaying mainly personal belongings donated by families of soldiers and civilians killed during the upheaval.

National Museum of Contemporary Art (Muzeul National de Arta Contemporana)

Address: Calea 13 Septembrie 1, entrance E4 Tel: 021  411.10.40 www.mnac.ro Open: Wed. - Sun. 10 am - 6 pm; Closed Mon. & Tue. Admission charge

National Museum of Old Maps & Books (Muzeul National al Hartilor si Cartii Vechi)

Address: Str. Londra 39 Tel: 021  230.44.68 www.MuzeulHartilor.ro Open: Wed. - Sun. 10 am - 6 pm; Closed Mon. & Tue. Admission charge

This museum is worth a visit, especially if you are interested in old maps and books.

Residence of Romania’s former Communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu (The Spring Mansion) (Muzeul Palatul Primaverii)

Address: Bulevardul Primaverii 50 Telephone: 021 318.09.89 www.CasaCeausescu.ro Open: Tue. - Sun.: 10 am - 5 pm Closed Mon. Admission charge, Reservations are recommended

For a quarter of a century (1965 - 1989) the “Spring Mansion” served as the private residence of Nicolae and Elena Ceauşescu and their three children, Nicu, Zoia, and Valentin. A variety of woods, both native (oak, sycamore, cherry, walnut) and exotic (mahogany, rosewood, African pear, Canadian cherry), have been used for building and decorations. The residence is home to an impressive collection of paintings ( by Octav Băncilă, Camil Ressu, Rudolf Cumpăna, Dumitru Ghiață, George Baron Lowendal ), handmade tapestries and mosaics designed by Romanian artists Olga Porumbaru and Florin Pârvulescu.

Romanian Railways Museum - Bucharest (Muzeul Cailor Ferate Romane)

Address: Calea Grivitei 193 B Tel: 021  222.75.20 Access: Nord Train Terminal ( Gara de Nord ), track # 14. Website Open: Wed. - Sun. 10 am - 6 pm; Admission charge

The Railways Museum exibits include one of the largest train diorama in Europe, an 1869 Morse telegraph, railways memorabilia including pictures and Romanian Railways uniforms. Several passenger train wagons and engines are on display in the open-air section of the museum.

"Storck" Art Museum (Muzeul de Arta Frederic Storck si Cecilia Cutescu-Storck)

Address: Str. Vasile Alecsandri 16 Telephone: 021  317 38 89 www.MuzeulBucurestiului.ro Open: Tue. - Sun. 9 am - 4 pm; Closed Mon. Admission charge

This museum pays tribute to the works of sculptor Frederick Storck, founder of the Romanian school of architecture, and his wife, Cecelia Cutescu-Storck, an artist and a keen advocate of enhanced recognition for women in the arts. Some 150 paintings and 250 sculptures are featured in the beautiful Storck residence, built in 1913 by a French architect after the plans of Frederick Storck.

Technology Museum (Muzeul Tehnic)

Address: Str. Candiano Popescu 2 (Carol Park) Tel: 021  336.93.90 www.mnt-leonida.ro Open: Wed. - Sun. 11 am - 6:30 pm; Closed Mon. & Tue. Admission charge

This museum displays some 5,000 items covering a wide range of industrial models: turbines, compressors, steam engines, the cylinder from the first steam engine that was used in a Romanian factory, as well as antique cars and motorcycles.

Painter Theodor Pallady Museum (Muzeul Theodor Pallady)

Address: Str. Spatarului 22 Tel: 021  211.49.79 www.MNAR.Arts.ro Open: Wed. – Sun.. 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. (May - September); Wed. - Sun. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m (October - April); Closed Mon. & Tue. Admission charge

Housed in the beautifully restored Melik house, built around 1750 by the rich Armenian businessman Hagi Kevork Nazaretoglu, the museum features paintings and sketches by Romanian artist Theodor Pallady as well as numerous other art objects.

Village Museum (Muzeul Satului)

Address: Soseaua Kiseleff 28 - 30 Tel: 021  317.91.03   www.Muzeul-Satului.ro Open: Mon. 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Tue. - Sun. 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Zambaccian Museum (Muzeul Zambaccian)

Address: Str. Zambaccian 21A Telephone: 021  230.19.20 www.mnar.arts.ro Open: Wed. - Sun.: 11 am - 7 pm; (May - September); Wed. - Sun.: 10 am - 6 pm (October - April); Closed Mon. & Tue. Admission charge

The museum exhibits the private art collection of art critic and collector Krikor Zambaccian (1889-1962). Works of Romanian painters: Ion Andreescu, Nicolae Grigorescu, Stefan Luchian, Theodor Pallady and Nicolae Tonitza, who have been inspired by the Impressionists, can be admired at the Zambacian Museum. Although Zambaccian was a big patron of the art of his home country, during his studies in Belgium and France (1907 - 1913) he purchased numerous European works from artists such as Cezanne, Renoir, Delacroix, Corot, Derain, Matisse, Pissaro, Bonnard, Utrillo and Picasso. The museum preserves the initial display as it was conceived by the art collector himself. There are also several beautiful small sculptures that complement the canvases.

Museum of Senses (Muzeul Simturilor)

Address: Cotroceni AFI Shopping Mall Bulevardul Vasile Milea 4 www.MuseumOfSenses.ro Telephone: 0757 070.073 Open: daily 10 am - 10 pm

Romania’s equivalent of Ripley's Believe It or Not is a place for fun and entertainment and a bad weather ‘refuge’ for locals and visitors.

Cismigiu Garden (Gradina Cismigiu)

Address: Blvd. Regina Elisabeta (across from Bucharest City Hall)

Designed in 1845 by the German landscape architect Carl Meyer, the garden opened to the public in 1860. The name, Cismigiu, comes from the Turkish cismea , meaning "public fountain." More than 30,000 trees and plants were brought from the Romanian mountains, while exotic plants were imported from the botanical gardens in Vienna. Cismigiu is Bucharest's oldest park and a great place to stroll and enjoy a break from the hectic city. Set amid green lush lawns and winding paths, the park offers a lake with rowboat rentals, a beer garden, a playground for children, a chess area for amateurs and plenty of park benches for relaxing and people-watching.

Botanical Garden (Gradina Botanica)

Address: Sos. Cotroceni 32 (across from Cotroceni Palace) Tel: 021  410.91.39 Open: Mon. - Sun. 8:00am - 5:00pm Website Admission charge

Opened in 1891, the garden features over 5,000 varieties of plants from Romania and around the world. The garden is also home to the Botanical Garden Museum, housed in a beautiful "Brancovenesc-Style" building. Here, you can peruse manuscripts, old botanical research devices and a collection of artifacts made of vegetal materials. Locals treat the gardens as a park, and on warm afternoons, you may see more young lovers than plants. The huge greenhouses are open Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun, 9am - 1pm.

Carol I Park (Parcul Carol I)

Address: Calea Serban Vodá

Designed by French landscape architect Eduard Redont in 1900s, the park offers pleasant walks down tree-lined paths, a good view of central Bucharest (from the monument) and plenty of photo opportunities. In summertime, the park's Arenele Romane is the stage for open-air concerts.

Herastrau Park (Parcul Herastrau)

Address: Sos. Kiseleff 32

Spread over some 400 acres, from the Arch of Triumph to the Baneasa Bridge, the park is home to numerous attractions, including a boat rental complex, tennis courts, and a rather old-fashioned fairground. In the summertime, many terraces open up on the shores of the lake.

For an overview of the park, take a ride around the lake on the ferry or rent your own boat. The park is also home to the Village Museum. The area surrounding the park holds even greater treasures. The streets between Bulevardul Mircea Eliade and Soseaua Kisileff contain extraordinarily beautiful houses in architectural styles ranging from 19th century neoclassical to 20th century art nouveau and modern luxury villas. This is where Bucharest's elite once lived - and still do today.

Bucharest - Hop On/ Off Sightseeing Bus Tours

Hop-on, hop-off bus tours are operated daily - during the warm season (May through October) - on a fleet of double-decker buses. Travelers can get an introduction to Bucharest's fascinating architectural mix and get familiar with the city's central neighborhoods and places of interest, in less than one hour.

Current status: Available. 2021 (Tentative) Dates of operation: June 1 - October 31 (weather permitting) Bucharest hop on/ off tours will be suspended during the cold weather months (late-fall until late-spring). Hours of operation: 10 a.m. - 9:45 p.m. Last departure from Piata Presei Libere to Piata Unirii at 9:00 p.m., Last departure from Piata Unirii to Piata Presei Libere at 9:25 p.m. Frequency: every 20 minutes Total length of the route: 9.5 miles Number of stops: 14 (see/print map)

24-Hour Ticket (card) : Adults: 25 lei (about $6.25) Children (up to 7 years old): free Youth (7 to 14 years old): 10 lei (about $2.75)

Note: Tickets can be purchased on board or at most hotels and are valid for 24 hours from the time of validation.

Sights and major attractions include: Village Museum (Muzeul Satului) , Arch of Triumph (Arcul de Triumf), Natural History Museum (Muzeul Antipa) , Geology Museum (Muzeul de Geologie), Museum of the Romanian Peasant (Muzeul Taranului Roman), Headquarters of the Romanian Government (Palatul Victoria), The Romanian Athenaeum (Ateneul Roman), National Museum of Art (Muzeul National de Arta), Church Cretulescu (Biserica Cretulescu), The Savings Bank (Palatul CEC), National History Museum (Muzeul National de Istorie), Parliament's Palace (Palatul Parlamentului), Romanian Patriarchy (Patriarhia Romana), Manuc's Inn (Hanul lui Manuc), Bucharest University (Universitatea), Museum of the City of Bucharest (Muzeul Municipiului Bucuresti), National Theatre (Teatrul National), Academy of Economic Studies (Academia de Studii Economice)

Bike Tours: Discover "Red Bucharest" with 'green' transportation ...

Ride a bicycle through some of Bucharest's parks and learn about the city's Communist architecture, including the massive Palace of Parliament and the House of the Free Press. Your local guide will also take you to back streets and will offer information about little-known areas of the city. When: every day at 3 pm, reservations are mandatory Tour starts: Charles de Gaulle Circus , at the entrance to Herastrau Park, next to General Charles de Gaulle statue. Staff wears a distinctive green outfit. Map Tour ends: at Parcul Tineretului (Youth's Park) Duration: three hours and 30 minutes(including one snack break). Price: from 115 Lei ($29.00) / participant (includes: Bike, guide, snack and bottle of water). More information

Walking Tours

Free walking tour of bucharest with a local guide, bucharest independent city walks.

This section is courtesy of Ms. Rosemary K. Rennon   

The following walks are designed to guide you around the four main areas of Bucharest, pointing out several unique sights. Stray from the routes as you wish, as you're sure to find other interesting places along the way that are not mentioned here. Allow approximately three hours for each walk.

Walk # 1 North of Center

This beautiful walk takes you through the quiet area n orth of the city center. Begin at Piata Victoriei with the government's Victoria Palace (Palatul Victoria) on its east side. Cross the square and walk north along tree-lined Soseaua Kiseleff. On your left are the Grigore Antipa Natural History Museum and the Museum of the Romanian Peasant; a little farther up on the right is the National Geological Museum.

After passing through Kiseleff Park, stroll northward along the grand old mansions that line the shaded avenue all the way up to the Arch of Triumph (Arcul de Triumf) . There begins Herestrau Park with its lake, gardens and outdoor restaurants. You will also pass the entrance to the wonderful open-air Muzeul Satului (Village Museum); take time to stop in and admire the numerous traditional rural architectural styles.

Ending at the north end of the park, off Piata Presei Libere you'll find the RomExpo exhibit center and the World Trade Center Plaza at Pullman (former Sofitel) Hotel. There's a fancy shopping arcade inside and a very nice coffee shop in the hotel where you can get a bite to eat. Catch bus # 335 back to Piata Charles de Gaulle for the Aviatorilor subway station (Metrou) or bus #331 to Piata Romana.

  Walk # 2 West – Central

This walk follows the route of Bucharest's most famous historic avenue, Calea Victoriei , Beginning at Piata Victoriei , walk south along Calea Victoriei passing Casa Vernescu , the George Enescu Museum, housed in the beautiful Cantacuzino Palace, and the Art Collections Museum.

Two blocks south of Bulevardul Dacia , detour left onto Strada Piata Amzei where you'll come upon the colorful open-air produce market (Piata Amzei). Return to Calea Victoriei and turn left to resume the walk south, stopping in the shops along the way.

Upon reaching Piata Revolutiei you will find the Athenee Palace Hilton hotel, the Romanian Athenaeum (Atheneul Roman) concert house (ask for an inside tour), the National Art Museum, housed in the former Royal Palace, the beautiful University Library, the former Communist Party Central Committee building, and finally, the Kretulescu Church built in 1725.

Continuing south on Calea Victoriei , you'll pass more shops and hotels; note the Odeon Theater, sitting back from the street on the left. On the right you'll come to The Military Club which has an outdoor café and an art gallery.

Turn west (right) at the corner onto Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta and follow it to Cismigiu Garden, the last stop on this walk. Stroll around the lake or just relax watching the rowboats.   The boathouse café offers snacks and refreshments.

Walk # 3 East – Central

This walk takes you along Bucharest's busiest commercial and shopping area. The boulevard changes names five times, but here you will cover the length of only three of its five sections: General Magheru , Nicolae Balcescu and I.C. Bratianu.

Starting from Piata Romana , you might first walk east on Bulevardul Dacia for a look at some of the embassy mansions; then return to Piata Romana.

Next, head south on Bulevardul General Magheru . The street is filled with clothing stores, sidewalk vendors, pastry shops, cinemas, stationary stores (papeterie), and crystal shops.

On the east side of the Bulevardul Balcescu section you will find the Libraria Noi bookstore which has a good selection of American picture books and English novels. There are several art galleries along here, including two in the National Theater which is next to the high-rise Intercontinental Hotel. Behind the hotel are the American Consulate and the American Library. Reaching Piata Universitatii , on the west side of the street you will see Bucharest University and the sidewalk book and flower vendors; sit a moment at the fountain in the adjoining plaza and watch the activity. The underground subway ( Metrou ) concourse has shops, newsstands with American magazines, and several fast food eateries, including a pastry shop and pizzeria. This underground passage is the easiest place to cross the boulevards, rather than deal with street traffic. South of Piata Universitatii the street name changes to Bulevardul I.C. Bratianu . On your right is the Bucharest History & Art Museum, housed in the neoclassical Sutu Palace, built in 1835.

Farther down, across the boulevard will be Sfantul Gheorghe cel Nou Church, built in 1701. The eastern end of Strada Lipscani meets the boulevard on the west side.

Continuing south, you will end this walk at Piata Unirii where you will find department stores, a large grassy square with park benches to rest on and its enormous complex of fountains. Piata Unirii's two subway ( Metrou ) lines link with all other subway stops.

Walk # 4 South

This route weaves through a tangle of colorful side streets in Bucharest's old historic district. Be extra alert here, as you will do some backtracking. Begin at the crossroads of Calea Victoriei and Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta . Walk south on Calea Victoriei , along the east side of the street. Duck into Pasajul Villa Cross (also called Pasajul Bijuteria ), a golden skylit arcade of boutiques. Follow its U-shape back to Calea Victoriei and walk south a block, to the beginning of Strada Lipscani.

Stroll Strada Lipscani to see the vendors and shops, then return to Calea Victoriei.

Heading south again on Calea Victoriei , next turn left onto Strada Stavropoleos to arrive at Caru cu Bere restaurant.  If you can't stop in for a beer or snack, at least peek inside to see its magnificent interior. Farther down the street is the tiny Biserica Stavropoleos (church), built in 1724. Here you can either cut south via Strada Postei to Strada Iuliu Maniu , or return to Calea Victoriei and go south, past the National History Museum to reach Strada Iuliu Maniu . Following Strada Iuliu Maniu east, you will come to the remains of the Curtea Veche (Old Princely Court) of the real Prince Dracula and his Princely Church, the oldest in Bucharest.

Just across the road is the former caravansary Hanul lui Manuc , now a restaurant and inn (currently closed for renovations).  Go inside the courtyard for a look at its timbered design, or stop there for some food and drink.

From this point, take the narrow side street south to exit the neighborhood at the Dambovita River.

Across the river you will see the 120-year-old Palace of Justice. Cross the boulevard to reach the broad, green Piata Unirii . Here you can rest while watching the fountains and the people.

From the south end you can see Nicolae Ceausescu's huge "House of the People", now Parliament Palace. When rested, head west along Bulevardul Unirii toward the Parliament Palace; this area is the Civic Center. When you reach the building, turn right, and walk north, back to the river.

Cross the Dambovita again at the Izvor Bridge. Walk in a block to Bulevardul Regina Elizabeta , then turn right and you'll wind up across the street from Cismigiu Garden.

To end this walk continue east on Bulevardul Elisabeta to Calea Victoriei ; or go a little farther toward Piata Universitatii and its subway ( Metrou ) station.

Mogosoaia Palace & Brancovenesc Museum (Palatul Mogosoaia & Muzeul Brancovenesc)

Where: 9 miles NW of Bucharest Address: Str. Valea Parcului 1 Access: Public transportation From Bucharest train terminal: subway M4 to Parc Bazilescu then metro-area bus 460 to Mogosoaia, From downtown Bucharest: bus # 331 to Damaroaia then metro-area bus 460 to Mogosoaia, car, taxi Tel: 0786 705.985 www.PalatulMogosoaia.ro Open: Tue. - Sun.: 10 am - 6 pm (May 1 - October 31) Tue. - Sun.: 9 am - 5 pm (November 1 - April 30) Admission charge

Snagov Monastery (Manastirea Snagov)

Where: 25 miles north of Bucharest Map / Location Access: car, bus, taxi www.ArhiepiscopiaBucurestilor.ro

Bucharest is a great starting point from which to explore the rest of the country. Away from the buzz of the city, you will find a different side of Romania - life in the countryside moves more slowly, the air is crisp and hospitality abounds.

Here are some Bucharest day-trips ideas:

Peles Castle & Sinaia Monastery

Where: Town of Sinaia, 87 miles north of Bucharest Access: car, bus, train Peles Castle Info

Bran (Dracula's) Castle & Bran Ethnographic Museum

Where: Village of Bran, 120 miles north of Bucharest Access: car, train or bus to Predeal or to Brasov Taxi from Predeal to Bran Bus or taxi from Brasov to Bran

Old, medieval, Town Brasov

Targoviste - curtea de arges - poenari fortress.

Where: northwest of Bucharest Distance: Bucharest - Targoviste: 51 miles, Targoviste - Gaesti - Curtea de Arges - Poenari: 89 miles Poenari - Bucharest: 112 miles. Access: car In Targoviste, tour the 14th century Princely Court (Curtea Domneasca) and Chindiei Watchtower (Turnul Chindiei) . The grounds are open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

From Targoviste, continue to Curtea de Arges .

Once you reach Curtea de Arges, visit the 14th-century Princely Court and the 800 years old Princely Church. Curtea de Arges was founded in the late 1200s by Prince Radu Negru (or Negru Voda). Between years 1369 and 1431 Curtea de Arges was the capital of Wallachia, the southern part of Romania.

A stunning architectural gem of the town is the 16th century, Byzantine style with Moorish arabesques, Curtea de Arges Monastery (Manastirea Curtea de Arges) . Romania's kings and queens are buried here.

Fifteen miles north of Curtea de Arges lay the ruins of Poenari Fortress, the authentic stronghold of voivode Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler) or Vlad Dracul . Only the walls and towers still stand from the original fortress located near Poienari village, just off the Transfagarasan highway over the Fagaras Mountains (Transylvanian Alps). Access to fortress, perched on a cliff - high above the surrounding area, requires climbing of a 1,462-step stairway.

Horezu Monastery & Horezu Pottery Centre

The nearby village of Horezu is home to one of the biggest pottery centres in Romania. Nearly a century ago, local nuns taught the villagers how to make and paint pottery, and ever since, people have come from far and wide to get their hands on Horezu's ceramic .

Nearby in Hobita , the birthplace of Constantin Brancusi, you can visit the house in which the sculptor spent his childhood; it now houses a small museum dedicated to the master. The house preserves the original architecture and accessories (the bed, the cellar and the well). The village is also home to the national sculpture camp "Brancusiana".

Bucharest has numeros drama theatre and concert venues. Tickets can be purchased on-line or directly at the venue's box office.

Opera & Ballet

National opera & ballet (opera nationala romana).

Address: Blvd. Mihail Kogalniceanu 70 - 72 Tel: 021 313.18.57 www.OperaNB.ro Box office hours: Mon. - Sun. 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.; 2 p.m. - 7 p.m. The city's artistic life stood up to its Parisian nickname in the 1930s and today, is as vibrant as ever. The Opera House, completed in 1953, is worth visiting, not only for its brilliant performances but also for the lavish interior design. The world-renowned Romanian Opera performs in Romanian as well as Italian and German. You will be able to enjoy the classic repertoire - Puccini, Verdi, Rossini, Mozart -, innovative staging, lavish costumes, seasoned performers and choreographers. The Romanian National Ballet also performs in this theatre. Performances are held Wednesday through Sunday evenings, except during July and August.

National Operetta Theatre (Teatrul National de Opereta 'Ioan Dacian')

Address: Blvd. Nicoale Balcescu 2 Tel: 021 313.63.48 www.Opereta.ro Box office hours: Tue. - Sat. 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Sun. 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.; Closed Mon. Comic plots, extravagant staging, lavish costumes, high caliber singers and orchestra are all part of the charm of the light, frothy performances at the Ion Dacian Operetta.

Symphonic Music

George enescu philharmonic at romanian athenaeum (filarmonica george enescu).

Address: Str. Benjamin Franklin 1    Tel: 021  315.00.26 or 315.25.67 www.FGE.org.ro Box office hours: Tue. - Fri. 12 p.m. - 7 p.m.; Sat. & Sun. 4 p.m. - 7 p.m.; Closed Mon. The Romanian Athenaeum is the main venue of the biennial classical music festival "George Enescu" Festivalul de Muzica Clasica "George Enescu" Famous artists and conductors have performed here throughout the years. Among them: Erich Kleiber, Sergiu Celibidache, Ionel Perlea, Herbert von Karajan, Dinu Lipatti, Arthur Rubinstein, Pablo Casals and Yehudi Menuhin.

National Radio Orchestra and National Chamber Orchestra

Address: Str. General Berthelot 60-64 (Sala Radio) Tel: 021 303.12.11 or 303.14.28 www.OrchestreRadio.ro The National Radio Orchestra, one of the best in the country, presents frequent classical chamber music performances at the music hall in the radio building.

Theatre performances are very popular in Romania and for most shows tickets sell-out within hours. While most theatre productions are performed in Romanian, sometimes, it is possible to find performances in German or English at various small theatres. There are 16 major theatres in Bucharest offering performances for all ages.

The theatre season closes during the summer, from July to September, although some small student and underground theatres do remain open.

National Theatre (Teatrul National)

Address: Blvd Nicolae Balcescu 2 Tel: 021 314.71.71 www.TNB.ro Three auditoriums host professional domestic and foreign plays by a broad selection of both classical and contemporary Romanian playwrights. The theatre's Great Hall (Sala Mare) , hosts the grand productions, while the Amphitheatre (Sala Amfiteatru) shows smaller productions and TV shows, and the Studio Hall (Sala Atelier) gets a mix of lower-key shows and presentations.

National Jewish Theatre (Teatrul Evreiesc de Stat)

Address: Str. Dr. Iuliu Barasch 15 www.Teatrul-Evreiesc.com.ro Tel: 021 323.39.70 The Jewish Theatre offers performances in Yiddish, Hebrew and Romanian (translation into Yiddish and Hebrew available).

Art Jazz Club Address: Blvd. Nicolae Balcescu 23A Tel: 0722 589.058 Open: Tue. - Sun. 1 pm - 3 am

Green Hours 22 Jazz Café Address: Calea Victoriei 120    Tel: 021  314.57.51 www.GreenHours.ro Open: 9 am -- 4 am (next day)

Laptaria lui Enache/ La Motor Address: Blvd. Nicolae Balcescu 2    Tel: 021 315.85.08 Located nearby the National Theatre, this bar is filled with university students, artists, musicians and young professionals. Usually crowded, the bar (called Laptaria lui Enache) is open all year long, while its rooftop counterpart (called La Motor) is open only during the summer when movies are shown on the terrace. At Laptaria, you can catch live music most evenings.

Foreign movies are generally shown in the original language with Romanian subtitles. Current film listings are available online www.sapteseri.ro

Bucharest Globus Circus (Circul Globus Bucuresti) Address: Aleea Circului 1 Tel: 021  210.24.19 or 210.49.98 www.CirculMetropolitan.ro Built in 1960, the enormous, permanent big-top circus is the centerpiece of a small park. With seating for more than 3,500 spectators, Bucharest's circus continues to host excellent performances, put on by both local and touring companies.

In recent years, several casinos have opened up in Bucharest, one of the few cities in east-central Europe offering gambling opportunities. Many 18th and 19th century palaces and mansions now house elegant beaux-arts casinos, where guests can play blackjack, poker, craps, roulette, baccarat and other games of chance, dine on sumptuous buffets and dance all night to live music.

Bucharest Casino (Inter-Continental Hotel) Address: Blvd. Nicolae Balcescu 4 Tel: 021  310.20.20 www.casinobucharest.ro

Grand Casino (J.W. Marriott Grand Hotel) Address: Calea 13 Septembrie 90 Tel: 021  403.08.01 www.Grand-Casino.ro

Havana Princess Casino Address: Blvd. Elisabeta 13 Tel: 021  313.98.23 Open: 24 hours

Lido Casino Address: Str. C.A. Rosetti 13 Tel: 021  311 0101 Open: 24 hours

Mirage Casino Address: Blvd. Magheru 8-10 Tel: 021  313.89.52   Open: 24 hours

Palace Casino Address: Calea Victoriei 133 Tel: 021  311.97.44 www.casinopalace.ro Open: 24 hours

Partouche Casino (Hotel Athenee-Palace Hilton) Address: Str. Episcopiei 1-3 Tel: 021  314.72.00 Open: 24 hours

Plaza Casino Club Address: Calea Victoriei 163 Tel: 021  310.24.80 Open: Mon. - Sun. 2:00pm - 7:00am

Queen Casino Address: Calea Dorobantilor 5-7 Tel: 021  599.11.26 www.queen-casino.ro Open: 24 hours

Public Transportation

Bucharest's public transportation network includes: bus (autobuz) , tram (tramvai) , trolley bus (troilebuz) and subway (Metrou) .

Buses, trams and trolley buses operate - between 5 am and 11:59pm.

The subway operates - from 5 am until 11 pm.

Tickets/cards must be purchased beforehand and validated upon boarding. Travelers may be asked to show the validated ticket/card during the trip. Travelers without a validated ticket must pay a 500 Lei ($120.00) penalty ( Suprataxa ).

Tickets or passes can be purchased at any kiosk displaying the STB logo.

STB maps can be found at kiosks near bus and tram stops or you can print one here .

Bucharest Public Transport Route Planner .

Bucharest above-ground local transportation (bus / tram / trolley bus) fares and passes:

• magnetic travel card (electronic wallet): 4 Lei (approx. $0.95)
• one-trip ticket (90 minutes): 3 Lei (approx. $0.75)
• 10-trips (90 minutes each trip): 25 Lei (approx. $6.25)
• day-pass: 8 Lei (approx. $1.95) 
• three-day pass: 20 Lei (approx. $5.25) 
• seven-day pass: 30 Lei (approx. $7.50) 
• above-ground month pass: 80 Lei (approx. $19.50)
• one trip with any public transport means (above-ground and subway): 5 Lei (approx. $1.20) (one subway ride and 90-minutes trip with any above-ground transport means)
• all public transport month pass: 140 Lei (approx. $33.50) (unlimited above-ground transportation and subway rides)

Tickets are interchangeable for the bus, tram and trolley bus, with the exception of express buses.

Express Bus 783 connects Bucharest International Airport with downtown Bucharest (bus 783 operates 24 hours a day). Two or 10-journey tickets, as well as monthly passes, are available for all express buses. There is direct train service from the city's main train terminal (Gara de Nord) to Bucharest international airport.

Above-ground & Subway 'combo' fares:

• one-trip (bus/ tramway and metro - unlimited validations within 60 minutes): 5 Lei (approx. $1.25)
• 10-trips (bus/ tramway and metro - unlimited validations within 60 minutes): 34 Lei (approx. $8.50)
• Day Pass unlimited: 17 Lei (approx. $4.25) - unlimited rides for one day

Bucharest Subway (Metrou) connects the outskirts of the city with the downtown and the main train terminal ( Gara de Nord ); subway operates - from 5 am to 11 pm.

There are five subway (Metrou) lines (M1, M2, M3, M4 and M5). Subway stations are indicated with the letter "M" (blue, on a white board).

Metro maps can be printed here or can be purchased in bookshops and newspaper kiosks. The final destination is indicated on the front of the train. Each stop is announced as the train nears the station. Trains arrive every four to seven minutes during peak times and every 15-20 minutes off-peak times. The average distance between subway stops is about one mile.

Subway fares:

• one-trip metro card: 3 Lei (approx. $0.75)
• two-trips metro card: 6 Lei (approx. $1.45)
• 10-trip metro card: 25 Lei (approx. $6.00) 
• Day Pass unlimited: 8 Lei (approx. $2.00) - unlimited rides for one day
• 3-day pass unlimited: 20 Lei (approx. $5.00) 
• 7-day pass unlimited: 30 Lei (approx. $7.50)  - unlimited rides for seven days
• month-pass unlimited: 80 Lei (approx. $20)  - unlimited rides / calendar month

Airport Transportation

Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) Address: Calea Bucurestilor 224 Tel: 021 204.12.00 or 021 204.12.10 www.BucharestAirports.ro

Most international flights arrive at Henri Coanda ( Otopeni ) Airport. Airport facilities include ATM, currency exchange office, Taxi Desk and cell phone rentals. Major car rental companies have offices located on the arrivals/ baggage claim level.

There are non-stop flights to Bucharest from most major European cities and in the Middle-East and connecting flights from the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Domestic Flights:

Scheduled domestic flights from/to Cluj-Napoca (CLJ), Iasi (IAS), Oradea (OMR), Satu Mare (SUJ), Sibiu (SBZ), Suceava (SCV), Timisoara (TSR) also depart from/ arrive to Henri Coanda Airport.

Airlines offering flights from Bucharest to major cities in Romania include: Tarom (flights to all destinations above) Blue Air (flights to/ from Cluj, Iasi, Oradea and Timisoara) Ryan Air (flights to/ from Timisoara) Wizz Air (flights from Bucharest to Cluj)

Transportation between Henri Coanda International Airport and city centre:

Distance from Bucharest airport to downtown: 18 km (11 miles). Several Taxi companies operate in Bucharest, and their rates can vary. Taxis can be called by using the touch screen computer ( Dispecerat Automatizat Taxi ) available next to the Taxi Desk ( Taxi la Comanda ) located in the arrivals terminal. There is no flat rate taxi transportation available from Bucharest Airport to downtown.

Rate / km: 1.99 lei to 3.50 lei ($0.50 -- $0.90). There is no extra-charge for luggage. The average fare from the airport to downton Bucharest is less than 70 Lei (the equivalent of $18.00).

Do not accept rides from drivers who might approach you inside or in front of the terminal, you will risk to be overcharged.

If you run into a problem with any taxi in Bucharest – or if you are suspecting that you have met a dishonest driver - ask for a receipt and if possible try to write down the vehicle's license plate #.

To file a Bucharest Taxi complaint please call 021 201 3242 (Transportation Bureau of the Police Department) and/or 021 9844 (Bucharest City Hall - Complaints) 021 9551 (Consumer Protection Authority).

Shuttle service from / to Bucharest airport: www.shuttledirect.com/en/airport/OTP www.bucharestairportshuttle.com/airport_shuttle.php

Express Bus 783 takes travelers from the airport to the city centre, with stops at Baneasa Airport, Piata Presei Libere, Piata Victoriei, Piata Romana, Piata Universitatii and Piata Unirii . Bus 783 leaves from the Arrivals terminal every 15 to 20 minutes (every 40 minutes between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.). The journey to Bucharest downtown takes approximately 40 minutes.

Note: Before boarding the bus, please purchase a public transportation card ( "Activ Card" ) available from at the 'STB' ticket booth in the arrivals terminal or next to the bus stop. The bus ticket booth is open daily from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.). One 'Activ Card' costs 3.70 Lei (about $0.85). To ride the bus you will also need to add value to your card (add 7 Lei for two trips from / to the airport or 3.50 Lei for one trip). Your Activ card must be validated as you board the bus.

Transportation between Henri Coanda International Airport and Bucharest main train terminal ( Gara de Nord ):

By Train Henri Coanda Express Train to the main train terminal (Gara de Nord) The journey from the airport to the train station takes about 22 minutes. One-way ticket costs 5 Lei ($1.25) for Adults 3 Lei ($0.75) for Childrens (up to 10 y.o.). Tickets can be purchased at the CFR kiosk International Arrivals Terminal. Train Schedules and Reservations

Baneasa Airport Address: Sos. Bucuresti-Ploiesti 40 Tel: 021 232.00.20 or 9713 baneasa-airport.ro

Baneasa Airport , located six miles from downtown Bucharest, is mostly used for private planes.

Public transportation between Baneasa airport and city centre: Bus #131 and #783 to downtown Bucharest Bus #205 to the main train terminal (Gara de Nord) Taxi - $12.00 (average)

Train Transportation

Bucuresti North - main train terminal (Gara de Nord) Address: Blvd. Garii de Nord 2 Tel: 9521 Bucharest's main train terminal, Gara de Nord , is located three miles northwest of Bucharest downtown.

International trains

There are daily trains from/to Athens , Belgrade , Budapest , Istanbul , Kiev , Moscow , Prague , Sofia , and Vienna . Trains from/to Western European cities run via Budapest.

Getting to Romania / By Train To check international trains schedule to/ from Bucharest please visit: http://www.RomaniaTourism.com/Transportation.html#ByTrain

To check schedules and fares for domestic trains please check our Romania Transportation section.

Note: For Bucharest please select Bucuresti Nord .

SNCFR Ticket Offices :

Agentia de Voiaj SNCFR - Griviţa Address: Calea Griviţei, 139 Telephone: 021  313.26.42 Open: Mon. - Fri.: 8 am – 6 pm; Closed: Sat. and Sun.

Agentia de Voiaj SNCFR - Unirii Address: Piata Naţiunilor Unite – Postal Office Telephone: 0752 504.262 Open: Mon. - Fri.: 8:30am - 6:30pm; Closed: Sat. and Sun.

Agentia de Voiaj SNCFR – Bucharest Airport Address: Bucharest Airport – Arrivals Terminal Telephone: 021  201.33.04 Open: non-stop

The SNCFR ticket offices offer train schedules information and ce tickets for future travel. Tickets for same-day travel can only be purchased at the train station.

Bus Transportation

International Bus Companies serving Bucharest:

Atlassib Tel: 021  222.47.35 www.atlassib.ro Destinations: Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden Departures from: Soseaua Alexandriei 164

Autotrans Calatori Filaret Tel: 021  335.95.83 www.acfilaret.ro Destinations: Bulgaria Departures from: Piata Garii Filaret 1

COMATI PSG Tel: 0723 450.475 www.comati-psg.ro Destinations: Denmark, Sweden Departures from: Str. Buzesti 44

DoubleT Tel: 021  313.36.42 www.doublet.ro Destinations: Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland Departures from: Calea Victoriei 2

Eurolines Touring Tel: 021  210.08.90 www.eurolines.com Destinations: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxemburg Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland Departures from: Str. Buzesti 44

Nordic Tours Tel: 021  305.60.06 www.nordic.ro Destinations: Denmark, Norway, Sweden Departures from: Piata Garii Filaret 1

Orlan Tel: 0269  224.101 www.orlan.cz Destinations: Czech Republic, Slovakia Departures from: Gara de Nord (North train terminal)

Perla Trans Tel: 021  336.00.13 www.perlatrans.com Destinations: Greece, Turkey Departures from: Soseaua Viilor 54

Torpedo Tur International Tel: 021  232.02.87 www.transportchisinau.cabanova.ro Destinations: Republic of Moldova Departures from: Gara de Nord (North train terminal)

Taxi companies

Several taxi companies operate in the city. Taxis can be summoned by telephone or hailed on the street. Fares per km are posted on driver's and passenger's doors.

Average Taxi fares: Initial Fee: 1.99 Lei ($0.50) plus 2.0 Lei / km ($1.12 / mile)

Please note that some taxi companies may post and/or charge up to five times the fares indicated above. Check the taxi fares and ask the driver to confirm the approximate cost of the ride, if not sure.

Bucharest Taxi Companies include: Alfa - 9488 As - 9435 Cristaxi - 9461 Cobalcescu - 9451 Fly - 9440 Leone - 9425 Meridian - 9444 Mondial- 9423 Perozzi - 9631 Prof Taxi - 9422 Speed - 9477 Taxi 2000 - 9494

Do not accept rides from drivers who might approach you at the airport, train station or in the street; you will risk to be overcharged. If you run into a problem with any taxi in Bucharest – or if you are suspecting that you have met a dishonest driver - ask for a receipt and if possible try to write down the vehicle's license plate #. To file a complaint you can call 021 9551 (Consumer Protection Authority) and/or 021 201 3242 (Transportation Bureau of the Police Department).

All major international and local car rental companies are represented in Romania's capital city.

Contact us if you need a list of all car rental companies in Bucharest.

Bicycle Rental

Bucharest bicycle rental centers

Teo Bikes E-mail www.Teo-Bikes.ro

La Bicla Loca E-mail www.LaBiclaLoca.ro

Zebra Bike Contact www.Zebra-Bike.ro

Bate Saua E-mail www.BateSaua.ro

I Velo E-mail www.IVelo.ro

Since the 1990s, brand names and high-end stores have been pushing their way into the Romanian market. From high fashion boutiques to art galleries, shopping in Bucharest can fit any taste or budget. Stroll down Blvd. Magheru from Piata Romana to Piata Universitatii for a shopping extravaganza or hit one of the many shopping malls favored by the local rich & famous.

Handicrafts (Artizanat)

Folk crafts, such as embroidered clothing and linen, painted or beaded eggs, carpets, pottery, woodcarvings and icons, make interesting gifts and souvenirs. Romanian peasants do magnificent embroidery on cotton, wool and leather. Look for blouses, skirts, exotic coats, rugs, tablecloths and lacework. Icons, new and old, painted on glass or wood are outstanding. A good selection can be found at the Romanian Peasant Museum , the Village Museum , most department stores.

Shopping Centers

Afi Palace Cotroceni Mall Address: Blvd. Timisoara Tel: 031 425.75.10 www.aficotroceni.ro Open: Mon. – Sun. 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Baneasa Shopping City Address: Sos. Bucuresti – Ploiesti 42 Tel: 021  306.06.58 www.baneasashoppingcity.ro Open: Mon. – Sun. 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Bucuresti Mall Address: Calea Vitan 55-59, Bucharest Tel: 021  327.67.00 www.bucurestimall.com.ro Open: Mon. - Sun. 10 am - 10 pm

Grand Arena Mall Address: Blvd. Metalurgiei 12-18, sector 4 Tel: 031 425.75.14 www.grandarena.ro/orar.php Open: Mon. – Sun. 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Liberty Center Address: Str. Progresului 151 - 171 Tel: 021  369.98.75 www.libertycenter.ro Open: Mon. – Sun. 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Mario Plaza Address: Calea Dorobantilor 172, Bucharest Tel: 021  230.47.71 Open: Mon. - Sat. 10 am - 9 pm, Sun. 10 am - 2 pm

Plaza Romania Mall Address: Blvd. Timisoara 26, Bucharest Tel: 021  407.84.16 www.plazaromania.ro/index.php Open: Mon. - Sun. 10 am - 10 pm

Unirea Shopping Center Address: Piata Unirii 1, Bucharest Tel: 021  303.03.07 www.unireashop.ro Open: Mon. - Sat. 9 am - 10 pm; Sun. 9 pm - 8 pm

World Trade Plaza Address: Blvd. Expozitiei 2, Bucharest Tel: 021  202.44.50 www.wtcb.ro/shopping_gallery.html Open: Mon. - Sun. 8am - 8pm

Art Galleries

Galeria 23 Address: Str. Lipscani 63 - 65, Bucharest Tel: 740.819.826 Web: www.hantei23.com Open: Mon. - Fri. 10 am - 6 pm; Sat. 10 am - 2 pm; Closed Sun.

Galeria Galateca Address: Str. C. A. Rosetti 2-4, Bucharest Open: Mon. - Sun. 11 am - 7 pm

Galeria Galateea Address: Calea Victoriei 132, Bucharest Tel: 021  659.38.14 Open: Mon. - Sat. 11 am - 7 pm; Closed Sun.

Galeria Hanul Cu Tei Address: Str. Blanari 5-7, Bucharest Tel: 021  313.01.81 Open: Mon. - Sat. 11 am - 7 pm; Closed Sun.

Galeria Nemtoi Address: Calea Victoriei 126, Bucharest Tel: 021  312.98.00 Open: Mon. - Fri. 10 am - 8 pm, Sat. 10 am - 6 pm; Closed Sun.

Galeria Noua Address: Str. Academiei 15, Bucharest Tel: 021  322.81.59 Open: Wed. - Sun. 11 am - 7 pm; Closed Mon. & Tue.

Galeria Orizont Address: Blvd. Nicolae Balcescu 23A, Bucharest Tel: 021  315.89.22 Open: Mon. - Fri. 10 am - 7 pm; Sat. 10 am - 2 pm; Closed Sun.

Galeria Simeza Address: Blvd. Magheru 20, Bucharest Tel: 021  659.38.25 Open: Mon. - Fri. 10 am - 6 pm; Sat. 10 am - 2 pm; Closed Sun.

If it is antiques that you fancy, Bucharest provides plenty of opportunities to fulfill your every whim. Antiques can be found in art galleries along Calea Victoriei and around the Old Historical Center (Lipscani street).

Thomas Antiques Str. Covaci 19 (zona Lipscani) 030094 Bucharest, Romania Open: Sun-Mon. 10:00am - 10:00pm; Fri, Sat. 10:00am - 12:00am

Amadeus Antiques Address: Str. Quinet 3, Bucharest Tel: 021  315.10.83 Open: Mon. - Fri. 10:00am - 6:00pm; Closed Sat. & Sun.

Craii de Curtea Veche Address: Str. Covaci 14, Bucharest Tel: 021  314.83.04 Open: Mon. - Fri. 10:00am - 6:00pm; Sat. 10:00am - 3:00pm; Closed Sun.

Da Vinci Address: Calea Victoriei 118, Bucharest Tel: 021  210.40.94 Open: Mon. - Fri. 9:00am - 6:00pm; Sat. 9:00am - 3:00pm; Closed Sun.

Galeria de Arta Dorobanti Address: Str. Tudor Stefan 13, Bucharest Tel: 021  231.49.53 Open: Mon. - Fri. 10:30am - 6:30pm; Sat. 11:00am - 3:30pm; Closed Sun.

Hanul cu Tei Address: Str. Lipscani 63, Bucharest Tel: 021  315.56.63 Open: Mon. - Fri. 10:00m - 6:00pm; Sat. 10:00am - 3:30pm; Closed Sun.

Quasar Antiques Address: Calea Victoriei 63-81, Bucharest Tel: 021 313.47.26 www.quasarantiques.net Open: Mon. - Fri. 10:30am - 7:30pm; Sat. 10:30am - 2:30pm; Closed Sun.

Book stores (Librarie)

Libraria Carturesti Location 1: Str. Edgar Quinet 9, Bucharest Tel: 021  311.06.46 Location 2: Str. Pictor Verona 13, Bucharest Tel:  021  212.19.22 www.carturesti.ro Open: Mon. - Sun. 9 am - 10 pm Books, tea, music . (some books in English)

Music (Muzica)

Visitors interested in Romanian music can find recordings of pop artists and bands, such as Loredana Groza and Morandi, pan flute artist Gheorghe Zamfir and popular folk singers such as Maria Tanase.

Magazinul Muzica Address: Calea Victoriei 41- 43, Bucharest Tel: 021  313.96.74 Open: Mon. - Fri. 9:30am - 7:00pm; Sat. 9:30am - 2:30pm; Closed Sun.

Fresh Produce Markets (Piata)

Piata Amzei Address: Str. Christian Tell 6 (between Calea Victoriei and Blvd. Magheru, near Piata Romana) Tel: 021  211.67.26 This is the city's most centrally located outdoor market. The outdoor market is surrounded by butcheries, cheese, flower and medicinal plant shops.

Piata Dorobantilor Address: Blvd. Radu Beller 3 - 5 Tel: 021  231.92.99 Upscale neighborhood market with a selection of fresh produce and flowers

Piata 1 Mai Address: Blvd. Ion Mihalache 123 Tel: 021  317.14.63 Resembling an Oriental bazaar, this is the place to find everything from fresh cheese and eggs, fruits and vegetables, to flowers and household items.

Piata Obor Address: Campul Mosilor 5 Tel: 021  252.69.54 Bucharest's biggest outdoor market; here, you can find here a huge food market and a "bazaar".

Hotels and other Accommodations in Bucharest

If interested to stay in a historic, distinctive hotel please visit RomaniaTourism.com/Distinctive-Hotels.html#Bucharest

Tourist Info

Bucharest Tourist Information Office Address: Piata Universitatii underpass ( Pasajul Universitatii ) Telephone: 021 305.55.00 extension 1003 [email protected] www.SeeBucharest.ro

Bucharest is safe and hospitable ; violent crime is almost non-existent. As in any large city visitors are advised to take usual safety precautions. Do not draw unnecessary attention to your person, money or jewelry and be aware of pickpockets and scam artists. Never accept taxi/ car rides, tours or guide services from strangers, no matter how presentable or fluent in English, who approach you on the street.

Bucharest has a four-season climate. In the spring, the weather can quickly alternate between rain and sunshine. June, July and August are the hottest months. As the leaves begin to change color, you can still enjoy warm and sunny days while taking a stroll in the city's many parks or down Calea Victoriei. Winters can be quite cold with moderate snowfall.

Bucharest Weather Forecast http://www.weather.com/weather/today/l/ROXX0003:1:RO

Postal Services & Telephone

Post offices display a postal horn symbol and the word Posta .

Main Post & Telephone Office Address: Str. Matei Millo 10 (off Calea Victoriei) Open: Mon. - Fri. 7:30am - 8 pm; Sat. 8 am - 2 pm; Closed Sun.

Telephoning Bucharest from Abroad International Access Code +40 (country code) + 21 or 31 (area code) + telephone number (seven digit number)

Pharmacies & Hospitals

Pharmacies in Bucharest are well stocked and pharmacists are authorized to recommend medication for most (minor) ailments. There are several pharmacies (Farmacie) open 24 hours a day.

Emergency Clinic Hospital (Spitalul de Urgenta Floreasca) Address: Calea Floreasca 8 Tel: 021  317.01.71 or 317.01.21

Bucharest - Useful Telephone Numbers

General emergency phone numbe : 112

A compilation of Romania’s main events is available at www.RomaniaTourism.com/Festivals-Events

Events that take place every year in Bucharest include:

• Easter Gifts - Arts & Crafts Fair (April)
• Rokolectiv festival of electronic music and arts (April)
• BRD Nastase Tiriac Tennis Trophy (April)
• 'Next' International Film Festival (June)
• Bucucuresti International Film Festival (B-EST IFF)
• International Music Festival 'Jeunesses Musicales' (May)
• Bucharest International Jazz Competition (July)
• Bucharest International Music Festival 'EuropaFest' (May)
• Bucharest of Old Festival (in Old Town Bucharest) (May)
• 'GayFest' Gay Pride Festival (June)
• Bucharest 'ArtPhoto' Image & Photography Festival (May - June)
• OstFest Music Festival - (June)
• Rock The City - Music Festival (June)
• Bucharest "D'Ale Bucurestilor" Street Music Festival (June)
• Craftsmen's Fair at the Village Museum in Bucharest (May - July)
• B'ESTFEST top international dance, indie and world music acts (July)
• Bucharest Street Theatre Festival (July)
• International Festival of Radio Ensembles "RadiRo" (September)
• International Furniture and Interior Design Fair (BIFE-TIMB) - (September)
• George Enescu Music Festival (September- biennial, every odd year)
• Early Music Festival (from medieval pieces to Renaissance, Baroque, Byzantine and Gregorian) - (October)
• Autumn Fair at Bucharest's Village Museum (October)
• Romanian National Theatre Festival (October)
• 'eXplore Dance' International Contemporary Dance Festival - (October)
• 'Kinofest' - cutting-edge short films and new media (October)
• St Nicholas Fair at Bucharest's Museum of The Romanian Peasant (December)
• Winter Gifts Arts & Crafts Fair - Museum of the Romanian Peasant (Dec)
• Eduard Pamfil International Festival of Young Guitar Players (December)

- City Map (Harta orasului Bucuresti) - Bucharest Area Map (Regional Map) - Bucharest Subway Map (Harta Metroului Bucuresti) - Bucharest Public Transportation map

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A guide to Bucharest, Romania's underrated capital

With rewilded green spaces, forward-thinking galleries and art deco boulevards made for strolling, Romania’s capital promises an intriguing alternative city break.

A confluence of multicultural neighbourhoods, belle époque avenues and functional high-rises, Bucharest wears its past on its sleeve. While the Ceauşescu regime sought to erase all traces of the city’s history in the early 1980s, today, the Romanian capital overflows with character — its gritty exterior concealing a wealth of cosy bars, galleries and bookshops.  

Begin with a walk along Bulevardul Primăverii in the north of the city. Among the many grand houses occupying this leafy, secluded street, look out for the decadent Casa Ceaușescu — the one-time family residence of Romania’s communist dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu, who ruled from 1965 to 1989. Its gilded interiors can be explored on a guided tour. A five-minute stroll away is the Museum of Recent Art, a multi-floor gallery dedicated to championing contemporary Romanian artists.  

A trip on the metro south from Aviatorilor station to Piata Romana leads to Patiseria Amzei , a tiny hole-in-the-wall bakery recognisable only by the long queue of locals waiting patiently for their daily pastry fix. The standout is merdenele cu branza (feta-filled pastries) — grab a couple fresh from the oven and head over to Casa Mita Biciclista as they cool down. One of a handful of bourgeoise residences that survived the architectural erasure of the Ceauşescu regime,   this sumptuous art nouveau townhouse plays host to photography exhibitions, live jazz performances and exclusive parties evoking the glamour of early 20th-century Bucharest.

Wander down Calea Victoriei towards Biserica Kretzulescu — perhaps the most captivating of Bucharest’s Eastern Orthodox churches — before joining university students sipping espressos at neighbouring Artichoke Social House. Here, you may spot Bucharest’s resident theremin player — a maestro of the motion-operated synthesiser.  

An entire afternoon can be spent browsing the tome-laden balconies of Cărturești Carusel — a grand and luminous bookshop in the city’s neo-baroque Old Town. From here, it’s a short tram ride to Obor Market, where, come spring, stalls overflow with cherries and leafy greens. Try the mici (skinless spiced sausages, served with mustard) straight from the grill at Terasa Obor . Alternatively, stop for lunch at nearby fine-dining establishment Soro Lume , where the market’s offerings fuel an ever-changing menu of artfully crafted seasonal dishes. If they have it, try the charcoal-roasted duck hearts with candied parsnips.  

Next stop is the evocatively named Sector 4, where communist-era tower blocks fall away to reveal Văcărești Nature Park, a vast bowl of rewilded industrial land on the edge of the city and a sanctuary for native wildlife. Spend some time getting lost among the reeds before taking the metro to Universitate and NoRoom Taproom, where Maktoob Brewing founder Adina Ioana Oniciuc serves some of the best craft beers in the city.  

Cismigiu Gardens is an atmospheric spot when the light begins to fade, with art deco lamps flickering into life and rooks coming home to roost. If you're here in May or October, head over the river to the neighbourhood of Cotroceni for the biannual Cotroceni Bazaar, which sees residents open their courtyards to the public, transforming this tranquil enclave into a buzzy hub of live music, shopping and festivities.  

The following day, cleanse yourself of any night-time excesses with a trip to Therme Bucharest , an innovative wellbeing centre that’s home to a plethora of saunas — including one that screens David Attenborough documentaries.  

For Hungry Minds

Related topics.

• ART HISTORY
• VISUAL ARTS
• ARCHITECTURE

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Romania’s capital sometimes gets a bad rap, but in fact it's dynamic, energetic and lots of fun. Many travellers give the city just a night or two before heading off to Transylvania, but that’s not enough time. Allow at least a few days to take in the very good museums, stroll the parks and hang out at trendy cafes and drinking gardens. While much of the centre is modern and the buildings are in various stages of disrepair, you'll find splendid 17th- and 18th-century Orthodox churches and graceful belle époque villas tucked away in quiet corners. Communism changed the face of the city forever, and nowhere is this more evident than at the gargantuan Palace of Parliament, the grandest (and arguably crassest) tribute to dictatorial megalomania you’ll ever see.

Attractions

Must-see attractions.

Palace of Parliament

The Palace of Parliament is the world’s second-largest administrative building (after the Pentagon) and former dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu’s most infamous…

Romanian Athenaeum

The exquisite Athenaeum is the majestic heart of Romania’s classical-music tradition. Scenes from Romanian history are featured on the interior fresco…

Former Ceauşescu Residence

This restored villa is the former main residence of Nicolae and Elena Ceauşescu, who lived here for around two decades up until the end in 1989…

Grigore Antipa Natural History Museum

One of the few attractions in Bucharest aimed squarely at kids, this natural-history museum, showing off Romania's plant and animal life, has been…

Cişmigiu Garden

West of Calea Victoriei is the locally beloved Cişmigiu Garden, with shady walks, a lake, cafes and a ridiculous number of benches on which to sit and…

Snagov Monastery

Tiny Snagov Island, at the northern end of Snagov Lake, is home to Snagov Monastery and Vlad Ţepeş' alleged final resting place. The small stone church…

Museum of the Romanian Peasant

The collection of peasant bric-a-brac, costumes, icons and partially restored houses makes this one of the most popular museums in the city. There’s not…

Văcărești Nature Park

What was supposed to be a 6km-long dam during the communist era, left abandoned after the 1989 Revolution, turned over 22 years into a vast urban delta…

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10 Best Things to Do in Bucharest (+ Tips for Your Visit)

By Author Jurga

Posted on Last updated: October 17, 2023

Are you thinking of visiting Bucharest, Romania, and wondering what there is to see and do in Bucharest and if it’s worth a visit? In this article, we share the top things to do in Bucharest and tips for your visit. Find out!

I have to admit that I also knew very little about Bucharest before my trip. I googled the best things to do in Bucharest and the must-see places of Bucharest and was quite disappointed to see that there was so little quality information available on the very best things to do in Bucharest. After all, if you only have one or two days in Bucharest, you probably want to visit the landmarks and see the main highlights of the city.

This was a few years ago. In the meantime, there is more information available online than it was back then. Still, this guide to the very best of Bucharest is just as relevant as at that time.

If you are visiting Bucharest soon and are looking for the very best things to do in Bucharest , you’ll find all the must-see places in this article. Take a look!

Good to know: In order to help you make the most of your trip to Bucharest, we also included some practical tips and advice for your visit. How to get to the city, where to stay, safety tips, and local’s advice. You can find this information further below.

READ ALSO: Hidden Gems of Bucharest

But first, here are the top places to see and the best things to do in Bucharest :

1. Palace of Parliament

If there is just one place that you just have to see in Bucharest, it’s the Palace of Parliament , also called the People’s Palace . With a surface of 365,000 m2 and 1,000 + rooms, it’s the second-largest administrative building in the world. Make sure to visit inside, as seeing it from the outside just isn’t the same!

It’s a controversial place, and we were told that Romanians still haven’t decided whether they love it or hate it. However, it’s such an integral part of what Romania is today and it will give you a much deeper insight and understanding of Romanian history, so I really recommend visiting the Palace of Parliament when in Bucharest.

Practical info: You can visit the Parliament with a guided tour that also includes other interesting places in Bucharest (which is what we did) or you can get skip-the-line tickets online and just visit the Parliament with a short guided tour. In any case, you need to carry your passport or ID card when visiting the Parliament building.

2. Old Town

In the past, Bucharest didn’t really have one central place where people would go out or meet with their friends. So a couple of years ago the City Council decided that the city needed such a place.

They designated a couple of streets for this area, laid cobblestones, and forbid most traffic. And so now Bucharest has an Old Town. The locals were joking that it must be the newest Old Town in the world …

The Old Town of Bucharest is a real success story, one that has transformed the city completely.

Hundreds of bars, trendy cafes, and restaurants have opened in Bucharest in the last few years. The Old Town is the place to be in Bucharest now, and you’ll instantly fall in love with the incredibly lively atmosphere. A bit quiet in the morning, lively during the day, and bustling with activity in the evening, The Old Town is the place that you will end up going to every day of your stay in Bucharest.

TIP: If you are interested in local pubs and Bucharest nightlife, check out these popular pub crawl tours in Bucharest .

3. Revolution Square

Revolution Square in the Centre of Bucharest is a place with lots of history. The monuments and the buildings that you see today have been completely restored and you wouldn’t tell that some of the darkest chapters of Romanian history have been written here.

TIP: I strongly advise that you visit Revolution Square with a local guide . It’s the best way to understand what happened here and learn more about Romania’s history. We don’t often take guided city tours, but in Bucharest, it was absolutely worth it.

4. Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum

Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum ( Muzeul Satului in Romanian) is an open-air exhibition showing traditional Romanian village life as it was in the past. It’s also the most visited museum in Romania and rightly so.

The Village Museum is a nice place to visit in Bucharest on a sunny day. It’s interesting for families with kids as well. There is lots of place to run around and kids will love exploring the 200-year-old buildings.

Bucharest Village Museum is open daily except for some public holidays. For more information and opening times, please check their website .

Quite some city tours of Bucharest also include a visit to this museum – see the full selection of tours here . The advantage of going with a local guide is that you’ll get a much better understanding of what this place is about. Also, it’s quite a big open-air museum and so going with a guide will make sure that you see all the musts.

TIP: Combine your visit with the adjacent Herăstrău Park (see below).

5. The Parks of Bucharest

Bucharest is a very green city and there are many parks you can explore. I only visited three – Herăstrău Park , Cișmigiu Park , and Parcul Izvor .

I was told that these three parks are not to be missed, but if you have more time you can also visit the Botanic Garden, Parcul Operei, Parcul Tineretului, and the Urban Delta – Parcul Natural Văcărești – is supposedly very nice as well.

Herastrau Park

One of the biggest parks of Bucharest – Herastrau Park – is definitely worth a visit. You can rent a bike, go on a boat ride, or tire the kids out in one of the playgrounds. There are several food stalls in the park, and if you go on a weekend or in summer, the chances are high that there will be some kind of an event here.

TIP: Combine the visit to Herastrau park with a visit to the Village Museum and don’t miss the Arch Of Triumph (Arcul de Triumf) .

Cișmigiu Park

Cismigiu park right in the center of Bucharest is as nice as a park can get. You will find beautiful green alleys, the most colorful playground for children I have ever seen. In addition, there are a couple of places where you can eat or just have ice cream and a small lake where you can rent a rowing boat in summer or go ice skating in winter.

If you visit just one park in Bucharest, make it Cismigiu Park.

Parcul Izvor

Parcul Izvor, located right in front of the Palace of the Parliament, is probably the quietest one of the three parks I visited in Bucharest. It’s one of those parks where locals come for a stroll or to run.

There are several playgrounds here too. And, of course, you have a beautiful view of the Palace of Parliament.

6. The Churches of Bucharest

You cannot walk for five minutes without running into a church in Bucharest. Some of them are really impressive and well worth a visit.

Some of the nicest churches in the center of Bucharest town are:

• Stavropoleos Monastery – Biserica Stavropoleos
• Church of Saint Anthony – Biserica Sfântul Anton
• Kretzulescu Church – Biserica Crețulescu
• St. Nicholas Church – Biserica Sf. Nicolae – Șelari

7. Romanian Athenaeum

Romanian Athenaeum is a beautiful building and one that Romanians are most proud of. It’s actually the main concert hall of Bucharest, so if you like classical music, try to attend one of the concerts.

You can also visit the Athenaeum and admire its beautiful architecture during the day. Make sure to take a look inside – the interior is stunning!

8. Romanian Traditional Restaurants

Enjoying a true Romanian peasant meal is one of the must-do things in Bucharest! Below, we have some recommendations based on our experience and what locals recommended to us at the time of our visit. My best tip for finding the best local restaurants is to simply inquire at your accommodation – that way you might also find some hidden gems only known to the locals.

Probably the best-known restaurant that serves local food in Bucharest is the Caru’ cu Bere in the Old Town. It’s a bit touristy, but the food was good, and it’s worth going just for the interior. We had dinner on Saturday and they even had some traditional dance performances during the evening.

Another good place to try some local cuisine is Hanu’ Berarilor Casa Oprea Soare , just across the river from the Old Town.

9. Curtea Veche

Curtea Veche is a small archeological site in the Old Town of Bucharest. There is not that much to see actually, but it used to be a residential palace of Vlad III Dracula in the 15th century. So if you want to see the statue of Dracula, this is the place to be.

Romanians will tell you the whole story about how Vlad the Impaler had nothing to do with the fictitious character in the Dracula novel by Bram Stoker . But it’s become a big commercial thing, so I think they kind of made peace with it.

10. Museums of Bucharest

Bucharest has many museums. If you are only in the city for a day or two, you won’t have much time for them. If, however, you have some time to spare and/or are visiting in the colder season when it might be wet and cold outside, you may want to check out several of the best museums.

In addition to the Village Museum that I already mentioned above, here are some of the most noteworthy museums in Bucharest :

• Grigore Antipa National Museum of Natural History
• National Museum of Art of Romania
• Museum of Art Collections
• Museum of the Romanian Peasant
• National Museum of Contemporary Art

So, these are the main highlights, best things to do in Bucharest that you really shouldn’t miss . Make sure to read our article about the hidden gems of Bucharest as well. You really have to see both sides of Bucharest in order to truly appreciate this city of contrasts!

Below, you can find some useful tips for your trip to Bucharest. Read on!

Is Bucharest Worth It?

I have been to Bucharest as a kid and had vague memories of this big city with wide boulevards and huge communist-style buildings. I remember Roma children begging for food on the streets… But that was Bucharest 30 years ago.

The city has changed beyond recognition! And if you see all of the activity going on, you cannot help but wonder if it will become the next top destination in Eastern Europe…

Bucharest exceeded all my expectations and yes, its’ absolutely worth a trip! Five days flew by and I left the capital of Romania with the feeling that there was still so much more to explore… Not even to mention all the beautiful places to see outside the city (see some recommendations below).

Things to Do Near Bucharest

Romania is so much more than Bucharest alone and you can see a lot by taking day tours from Bucharest ! There are also so many nice towns and Romanian Castles to visit. I really enjoyed a short visit to Mogoşoaia Palace .

Therme Bucharest (exotic spa with pools and saunas) is another great place to visit just near Bucharest.

TIP: The most popular day trip from Bucharest is to Transylvania. It includes Bran Castle (nicknamed Dracula’s Castle), the medieval town of Brasov , and Peles Castle. You can see the detailed itinerary and book this day trip here.

READ ALSO: Best Towns and Cities to Visit in Romania

Practical Information

Below you can find some practical information for visiting Bucharest.

How to get to Bucharest

Bucharest is a perfect destination for a short city break. You can find many affordable direct flights to Bucharest from pretty much anywhere in Europe.

Bucharest airport is located about 30 minutes drive from the city center. The best way to get to the city is by booking a private airport transfer .

Where to stay in Bucharest for sightseeing

Without a doubt, the best place to stay in Bucharest is the area around Calea Victoriei Street, approx. between Blvd. Regina Elisabeta and Revolution Square. Here are the best-rated hotels in this area:

• Novotel Bucharest City Centre
• Grand Hotel Continental
• Radisson Blu Hotel Bucharest
• Capitol Hotel
• Park Inn by Radisson

These are all really nice hotels and very well-priced compared to most other European cities. You can find plenty of accommodation in all price ranges in Bucharest.

Is Bucharest safe?

One of the main concerns I had before traveling to Bucharest on my own, was if Bucharest was safe. As a woman traveling solo and carrying expensive camera equipment, I never felt unsafe in Bucharest.

I have to say that it’s probably just as safe as any other European capital. And, if you stay in the city center, it’s probably even safer than most other major European towns. Of course, there are some areas where you better not walk alone at night, but that counts for any other city that I know.

More practical info for first-time visitors

If you have questions about the practical side of visiting Bucharest: when to go, how to get around the city… you can find all this information in a very comprehensive practical guide to Bucharest by a local Romanian travel guide.

And as always – if you have any specific questions about Bucharest or the places mentioned in this post, feel free to ask by leaving a reply below.

READ ALSO: Hidden Gems of Bucharest That Most Tourists Never See

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A. S. Macoveschi

Monday 9th of May 2022

Oh please! That’s not Dracula‘s bust.. it’s the sculpture of the ruler Vlad Tepes, who just inspired the myth.

Monday 16th of May 2022

I know, but towards us, tourists, it's presented as such. 'Dracula' is used for marketing Romania abroad and seems to be one of the reasons why people decide to visit the country, so local guides will definitely tell you this is Dracula (together with some background story, of course), just as they call Bran Caste 'Dracula Castle' as well.

Monday 2nd of March 2020

After a rather basic trip to Sofia some months ago I'm actually very excited to visit Bukarest next weekend thanks to your article!

Thursday 5th of March 2020

Glad to hear that, Benedikt. Bucharest really exceeded all my expectations and I hope that you'll enjoy it just as much as I did. If you haven't seen it yet, check out our hidden gems of Bucharest article - it has some of my favorite places that made the trip so much more fun. Have a great trip!

Sunday 9th of February 2020

Great tips, exactly what I need for my short weekend trip to Bucharest. Thank you!

Thursday 13th of February 2020

Glad to hear that, Stephanie. Enjoy your trip!

Saturday 18th of January 2020

Hi, Jurga You said nothing about the places in Bucharest where you can buy nice things: Curtea Sticlarilor in the Old Town, for glasswhear and allias; the Handcraft Fair placed in the backyard of Muzeul Taranului Roman, for the authentic artisanal art. Last but not least, the Restaurant Paine si Vin (Bread & Wine), close to Old Town where you may eat the best cheese in the country, Braza lui Voda (King's Cheese, awarded two times with GOLD and two times with SILVER wiyhin latest four years, at one of the most important world cheese competition- IlThe International Cheese Awards, Nantwich, UK). On the other hand, next time you'll vizit Bucharest please don't miss the Thermes (bus free from downtown). And, the crown of your trip in Romania is Manastirile din Nordul Moldovei (The Abbeys in the North Moldavia).

Monday 20th of January 2020

Thanks for sharing all these places in Bucharest, Petruvio. I'm sure it will be useful to our readers planning their trips. Happy travels!

Thursday 9th of January 2020

Hi Jurga, I just came back from Bucharest and used your tips for all the attractions and also secret places and it was awesome. Thanks for sharing and keep up the good work.

Sunday 12th of January 2020

Glad to hear that you had a great time in Bucharest. Happy travels!

Calls between 10.00 AM - 17.00 (5.00 PM) Monday - Friday (except public holidays)

The Village Museum (Muzeul Satului in Romanian) is an open-air ethnographic museum located in the Herăstrău Park (Bucharest, Romania), showcasing traditional Romanian village life. The museum extends to over 100,000 m2, and contains 272 authentic peasant farms and houses from all over Romania.

It was created in 1936 by Dimitrie Gusti, Victor Ion Popa, and Henri H. Stahl.

There are other “village museums” throughout Romania, including ASTRA National Museum Complex in Sibiu, and those of Cluj-Napoca, Râmnicu-Vâlcea, Timișoara, a.s.o.

The National Museum “George Enescu” was opened in the Cantacuzino Palace, one of the most beautiful buildings in Bucharest, a historical monument and one of the European Heritage Label buildings.The sumptuous entrance, in Art Nouveau style, announces the luxury and the refinement of the époque, reunited in one of the most imposing palaces in Bucharest.

The permanent exhibition of the museum includes three rooms of the palace, displaying photographs, manuscripts, various documents, diplomas, medals, drawings, sculptures, musical instruments, costumes, furniture, decorative art, personal objects, a casting of the artist’s hands and his mortuary mask.

The originary atmosphere has been recreated in the intimacy of the austere memorial house, which is also opened for visitors.

The Football Museum

Odaia Bunicii

Egg Museum Vama

Ion Tugui Wooden Spoons Museum

Wood Art Museum

Voronet Monastery

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Feldioara Tourist Info

Zărnești Tourist Info

Râșnov Tourist Info

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Brăila Visitor Center

Vorona Tourist Info

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Bistrița Bîrgăului Tourist Info

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Tiha Bârgăului

Teaca Tourist Info

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Vadu Crișului Tourist Info

Mădăraș Tourist Info

Câmpani Tourist Info

A new concept in Romania, Tiriac Collection represents the exhibition of cars and motorcycles of Mr. Ion Tiriac. Reopened to the public in May 2015, the collection includes over 150 historical vehicles manufactured since 1899, but also performant cars, with a current design. Visitors will find the only collection in the world with the 6 Rolls Royce Phantom produced until 1972, as well as exhibits that previously belonged to great names such as Sir Elton John, Sammy Davis Jr. or Bernie Ecclestone.

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Bucharest Travel Guide: A Comprehensive Overview of Romania’s Capital City

Bucharest, the capital city of Romania, is one of the most exciting and dynamic cities in Eastern Europe. With a rich cultural heritage, a diverse food scene, and a vibrant nightlife, Bucharest is a must-visit destination for any traveler. In this travel guide, we will cover everything you need to know to plan your trip to Bucharest, including the best places to visit, eat, and stay.

Bucharest is a city of contrasts, where old and new, East and West, blend together in a unique way. The city has a rich history that dates back to the 15th century, and it has been influenced by various cultures throughout the years. Bucharest is also known as “The Little Paris of the East” due to its stunning architecture, elegant boulevards, and vibrant cultural scene.

Understanding Bucharest: The Capital of Romania

As the bustling capital of Romania, Bucharest is more than just a travel destination; it’s the political, cultural, and economic heart of the country. If you’re curious about how Bucharest earned its status as the capital and what makes it such a significant city, we have an article that delves into the intricate details. From its historical significance to its role in modern Romania, get a comprehensive understanding of Bucharest as the capital .

When to Visit Bucharest

The best time to visit Bucharest is between May and September, when the weather is warm and sunny, and most of the festivals take place. However, the city is beautiful year-round, and there is always something to see and do. In the winter, the Christmas markets and the snow-covered streets create a magical atmosphere. For more detailed information on the best seasons, weather conditions, and local events, check out our guide on the optimal times for visiting Romania’s capital city .

How to Get to Bucharest

Bucharest has two airports, Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP) and Aurel Vlaicu International Airport (BBU). Most international flights arrive at Henri Coanda International Airport, which is located 18 km north of the city center. There are direct flights to Bucharest from major cities in Europe and North America. For an exhaustive guide on navigating airport transfers, public transport, and other ways to get into the city center, consult our in-depth article here .

Getting Around Bucharest

Bucharest has a solid public transportation system, including buses, trams, trolleybuses, and the metro. The metro is quick and easy for getting around. Taxis are also common but make sure you pick a well-known company (the most popular between Romanians are Yango, Clever or BlackCab) or use a ride-sharing app like Bolt or Uber. Want to know more? Check out our full article on how to get around in Bucharest .

Top Things to Do in Bucharest

1. visit the palace of the parliament.

The Palace of the Parliament is one of the most impressive buildings in Bucharest and the second-largest administrative building in the world after the Pentagon. The palace was built during the communist era and has more than 1,000 rooms, 4 underground levels, and a height of 84 meters. Visitors can take a guided tour of the palace and admire the grandiose halls, chandeliers, and artwork. Delve into the stories behind the world’s heaviest building.

2. Explore Old Town (Lipscani)

Old Town, also known as Lipscani, is the historic center of Bucharest, and it’s a maze of narrow streets, colorful buildings, and lively bars and restaurants. This is the perfect place to go for a stroll, people-watch, and soak up the atmosphere. For those interested in diving deeper into the hidden gems and popular spots of this area, check out our detailed list of things to do in Old Town .

3. Admire the Architecture of Bucharest

Bucharest is famous for its unique blend of architectural styles, including Neoclassical, Art Nouveau, and Socialist Realism. Some of the most beautiful buildings in the city are the Romanian Athenaeum, the CEC Palace, and the Stavropoleos Monastery. Explore our detailed list of architectural wonders in Bucharest .

4. Wander Through the Botanical Garden

The Botanical Garden is a peaceful oasis in the middle of Bucharest, with over 10,000 species of plants, a lake, and several greenhouses. It’s a perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy some nature. For more tips and details, check out our complete rundown on the Bucharest Botanical Garden .

5. Discover the Village Museum

The Village Museum, also known as the Dimitrie Gusti Museum, is an open-air museum that showcases traditional Romanian village life. Visitors can walk through the village streets, see authentic houses, and learn about the history and customs of the Romanian people. For those who want to delve deeper into the cultural nuances and historical context of this living museum, don’t miss our specialized guide on the Dimitrie Gusti Museum .

6. Take a Stroll in Herastrau Park

Herastrau Park is the largest park in Bucharest, with over 180 hectares of green space, a lake, and several outdoor activities such as boat rentals, cycling, and picnicking. It’s a perfect place for a relaxing day out in nature.

7. Check Out the National Museum of Art of Romania

The National Museum of Art of Romania is home to one of the most impressive collections of Romanian art, from medieval times to the present day. The museum is housed in the former Royal Palace, which is also worth a visit for its stunning architecture.

8. Visit the Romanian Athenaeum

The Romanian Athenaeum is an iconic building in Bucharest, known for its beautiful concert hall and the impressive dome that dominates the city skyline. The Athenaeum hosts regular classical music concerts and is a must-visit for music lovers.

9. Spend a Day at Therme Bucharest

Therme Bucharest is the largest thermal spa complex in Europe, with indoor and outdoor pools, saunas, steam rooms, and a wide range of wellness treatments. It’s the perfect place to relax and unwind after a busy day of sightseeing.

After a full day of sightseeing, Therme Bucharest offers a perfect escape. It’s the largest thermal spa complex in Europe, featuring a myriad of pools, saunas, and wellness treatments. Whether you’re looking to relax or indulge in a spa day, this place has a range of options to suit every mood. For more details on what to expect, read our feature on this top-rated wellness center .

10. Uncover Bucharest’s Thrilling Escape Rooms

If you’re looking for a different kind of adventure in Bucharest, consider diving into the city’s escape room scene. These interactive experiences offer a unique blend of storytelling, puzzle-solving, and teamwork that’s sure to make for a memorable outing. Whether you’re a fan of horror themes, historical settings, or mind-bending mysteries, there’s an escape room in Bucharest to match your interests. For a curated list of the best escape rooms in the city, along with tips and reviews, explore our guide that dives into the thrills of Bucharest’s escape room adventures .

11. Delve into the Mystique of Macca-Vilacrosse Passage

Tucked away in the heart of Bucharest, the Macca-Vilacrosse Passage is a hidden gem that offers a slice of the city’s historical charm. This glass-covered arcade is lined with cozy cafes, unique boutiques, and offers an atmosphere that transports you back in time. Whether you’re looking for a quiet place to enjoy a coffee or you’re interested in capturing some stunning photographs, the passage is well worth a visit. For a detailed exploration of its history and allure, check out our feature on this iconic Bucharest landmark .

12. Experience Open Streets Bucharest

Open Streets Bucharest is an initiative that transforms certain streets into pedestrian-friendly zones, promoting sustainable living and community engagement. The event occurs periodically and offers a range of activities from cycling and walking to art installations and live performances. It’s a unique way to experience the city’s culture and public spaces, as you see Bucharest from a different perspective—literally on the ground. For those interested in urban planning, sustainability, or just having a good time outdoors, this is an event you won’t want to miss. For a complete guide to participating in or experiencing this initiative, check out our comprehensive article on Open Streets Bucharest .

13. Explore the Carturesti Carusel Bookstore

Another must-visit spot in Bucharest is the Carturesti Carusel Bookstore, a six-level architectural gem filled with thousands of books, an art gallery, and a bistro. This bookstore is not just a place to pick up a new read; it’s a cultural experience in itself, capturing the artistic spirit of the city. For a deeper dive into what makes this bookstore a unique destination, explore our detailed guide on the Carturesti Carusel Bookstore .

14. Marvel at Downtown Bucharest Fountains

Bucharest’s downtown area comes alive with stunning fountains, especially in the evening. These aren’t just any fountains; they’re a light and water show that turns the city center into a magical place. It’s a must-see spectacle that adds a special touch to Bucharest’s lively atmosphere.

15. Be Captivated by the Romanian Athenaeum

The Romanian Athenaeum is more than just a beautiful building; it’s a hub for classical music and cultural events. The majestic dome and elegant columns are just the beginning. Step inside to experience a world of artistic excellence that captures the very essence of Bucharest’s love for the arts.

16. Journey Through the National Museum of Art of Romania

This museum is a treasure trove of Romanian and European art. Located in the former Royal Palace, it gives you a peek into the country’s rich artistic heritage. From ancient to modern art, this museum has something for everyone and offers an enriching experience.

17. Step Back in Time at Ceaușescu House

The Ceaușescu House allows you to delve into the life of Romania’s controversial former leader. The well-preserved interiors offer a glimpse into the lavish lifestyle led by Nicolae Ceaușescu. It’s a piece of living history that offers both intrigue and understanding of Romania’s past.

18. Experience the Everyday at the National Museum of the Romanian Peasant

Discover the traditions and daily lives of Romanian peasants. This museum offers a down-to-earth look at Romania’s rural culture through exhibits of clothing, tools, and even entire houses. It’s a fascinating journey into the heart of Romania’s roots.

19. Uncover the Past at the National Museum of History of Romania

This museum is your go-to place for everything related to Romania’s history. From ancient artifacts to modern-day memorabilia, it’s a one-stop-shop to understand the shaping of a nation. Don’t miss the replica of Trajan’s Column, which tells a story all on its own.

20. Dive into Science at the Grigore Antipa National Museum

If you’re a fan of natural history, this museum is for you. From dinosaur fossils to exhibits on human evolution, it’s a place where science comes alive. It’s an educational adventure that both kids and adults will love.

21. Discover Bucharest’s Story at the Museum of the Municipality of Bucharest

Learn about Bucharest from its earliest days to the modern era. This city museum offers a chronological look into how Bucharest became the bustling capital it is today, making it essential for anyone interested in the city’s backstory.

22. Laugh at the Romanian Kitsch Museum

This unique museum celebrates the quirky and amusing side of Romanian culture. From Dracula souvenirs to communist-era memorabilia, it’s a light-hearted way to explore the country’s less traditional heritage.

23. Be Mesmerized by iMapp Bucharest

iMapp Bucharest is one of the world’s largest video-mapping events and turns the city into a canvas of light and sound. Usually held in September, it’s a visual feast that shouldn’t be missed by anyone visiting during this time.

24. Immerse in Culture at Asia Fest Bucharest

Love Asian culture? Asia Fest Bucharest is a colorful and vibrant festival that celebrates the food, music, and traditions from the Far East. It’s a unique way to experience a different culture while staying in Bucharest.

25. Enjoy the Outdoors at Parcul Alexandru Ioan Cuza (Titan Park)

Also known as Titan Park, this green space offers locals and tourists a place to relax, jog, or even paddle-boat on the lake. It’s a little piece of nature in the urban jungle, making it a great spot for a leisurely day out.

26. Discover Luxury in Primăverii District

Primăverii is known for its luxury homes and high-end living. Take a stroll through this district to see some of Bucharest’s most beautiful residences and maybe even spot a celebrity or two. It’s a different side of Bucharest that’s worth exploring.

27. Witness the Grandeur of Arcul de Triumf

Inspired by Paris’s Arc de Triomphe, Bucharest’s own Arcul de Triumf is a symbol of Romanian national pride. It’s particularly impressive on December 1st, Romania’s National Day, when it becomes the focal point of military parades.

28. Relax at Cișmigiu Gardens

Cișmigiu Gardens offer a peaceful escape in the heart of the city. With its beautiful landscaping, small lake, and charming footbridges, it’s a popular spot for both locals and tourists looking to unwind.

29. Reflect at Revolution Square

This square is more than just a meeting place; it’s a symbol of Romania’s fight for freedom. With its monuments and buildings that tell a story of revolution, it’s a place of historical significance that invites contemplation.

30. Find Solace in Snagov Monastery

Situated on an island in the northern part of Bucharest, Snagov Monastery is a serene place of worship that’s said to be the final resting place of Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration for Dracula. It’s a quiet escape with a dash of mystery.

31. Explore the Urban Wilderness of Văcărești Nature Park

Dubbed Bucharest’s “Delta,” this nature park is a haven for wildlife and a great spot for birdwatching. It’s a slice of wilderness right in the city, offering a unique natural escape for those looking to get away from the hustle and bustle.

32. Savor the Flavors at Food Hood Bucuresti

Food Hood Bucuresti is a food lover’s paradise. It’s a food market where you can try all kinds of delicious treats . Whether you’re craving traditional Romanian dishes or international cuisine, you’ll find it here. It’s the perfect place to eat, socialize, and experience the culinary scene in Bucharest.

33. Uncover History at Sighet Memorial Exhibition

The Sighet Memorial Exhibition is not just a museum; it’s a lesson in Romania’s past. It stands as a haunting reminder of the political prisoners once held here. This place is a must-see for anyone interested in understanding Romania’s history and human rights journey.

34. Explore Piaţa Obor Market

Piata Obor is more than just a market; it’s a vibrant slice of local life. With fresh produce, handmade goods, and tasty street food, it offers a bit of everything. A trip here is a sensory feast and a window into how locals shop and eat.

35. Step Back in Time at Curtea Veche Museum

Curtea Veche Museum is where Bucharest’s history comes alive. It’s a fascinating place that tells the story of the city’s royal past. From ancient artifacts to historical documents, this museum offers a glimpse into the bygone eras of Bucharest.

36. Visit the Peaceful Bellu Cemetery

Bellu Cemetery is an unexpected but serene tourist spot. It’s not just a place of rest; it’s also a gallery of intricate tombstone art and sculptures. The calmness and the artistic atmosphere make it a unique experience.

37. Wander Through Pasajul Englez

Pasajul Englez is a hidden treasure in Bucharest. This quaint passage is filled with art galleries and cozy cafes. It’s a lovely spot to take a break from the city buzz, enjoy a coffee, and maybe find your new favorite painting or sculpture.

38. Catch a Sunset at Pura Vida Hostel

The Pura Vida Hostel offers more than just a place to sleep; its rooftop provides a stunning view of the city, especially at sunset. It’s a wonderful spot to unwind, sip a cocktail, and soak in the beauty of Bucharest as the sun goes down.

39. Experience Targul Vitan Market

Targul Vitan is a bustling flea market where you can find a variety of goods, from antiques to fresh food. It’s a great place to hunt for souvenirs and experience the energetic vibe of a local Romanian market.

40. Discover Memories Bazaar

Memories Bazaar is a one-of-a-kind shopping experience in Bucharest. With its eclectic mix of vintage items, handmade crafts, and unique trinkets, you’re sure to find something special to take home with you.

41. Admire Street Art in Strada Arthur Verona and Chimopar

The streets of Arthur Verona and Chimopar are open-air galleries showcasing Bucharest’s vibrant street art scene. Take a leisurely stroll and admire the murals, graffiti, and installations that add a pop of color and creativity to the city.

42. Take Flight at the Aviation Museum

The Aviation Museum is a haven for aviation enthusiasts. With a collection of aircraft, models, and memorabilia, it offers a comprehensive look at Romania’s aviation history.

43. Explore Royal Elegance at Cotroceni Palace Museum

Cotroceni Palace Museum is the epitome of royal grandeur. With its beautifully decorated rooms and historical exhibits, it provides a glimpse into the lives of Romania’s past rulers.

44. Learn at the Firefighters Museum

The Firefighters Museum is an enlightening experience for all ages. It offers an in-depth look at the history of firefighting in Romania, complete with antique equipment and educational exhibits.

45. Visit the Historic Curtea Veche Church

Curtea Veche Church is a place of peace and spirituality. This historic church is one of Bucharest’s oldest and offers a quiet sanctuary amid the hustle and bustle of the city.

46. Marvel at the Patriarchal Cathedral

The Patriarchal Cathedral is not just a place of worship; it’s a symbol of Romanian Orthodoxy. Its majestic architecture and spiritual ambiance make it a must-visit spot for both pilgrims and tourists alike.

47. Discover Bucharest After Dark

If you’re interested in experiencing Bucharest in a different light, don’t miss our detailed the best things to do in Bucharest at night . This isn’t your typical nightlife rundown; it’s a comprehensive look at unique activities, cultural landmarks, and serene spots you can enjoy after the sun sets. From haunted city exploration games to mesmerizing fountain shows, this guide offers a diverse range of nighttime activities that go beyond bars and clubs.

Where to Eat in Bucharest

Bucharest has a thriving food scene, with a mix of traditional Romanian cuisine and international options. Here are some of the best places to eat in the city:

1. Caru’ cu Bere

Type: Traditional Romanian Highlight: Historic setting with live music

Type: International Highlight: Fresh, seasonal ingredients

3. Energiea

Type: Bar and Small Plates Highlight: Lively atmosphere with a mix of cuisines

For a more detailed guide to the best dining spots, including our reviews and insider tips, check out our comprehensive list of top picks to eat in Bucharest .

Where to Stay in Bucharest

Bucharest has a wide range of accommodations, from budget hostels to luxury hotels. Here are some of the best places to stay in the city:

1. Grand Hotel Continental

The Grand Hotel Continental is a luxurious 5-star hotel located in the heart of Bucharest. The hotel features beautifully decorated rooms and suites, a spa, a fitness center, and several restaurants.

2. Mercure Bucharest City Center

The Mercure Bucharest City Center is a modern hotel located in the city center, just a few steps away from the Old Town. The hotel features comfortable rooms, a restaurant, and a fitness center.

3. Hotel Christina

Hotel Christina is a stylish boutique hotel located in a quiet area of the city, just a short walk from the city center. The hotel features spacious and modern rooms, a rooftop terrace, and a restaurant.

What Are Some Must-See Attractions in Bucharest?

When visiting the capital city of romania , Bucharest, be sure to explore its must-see attractions. Take a stroll in Herastrau Park, visit the grand Palace of the Parliament, admire the beautiful architecture of the Romanian Athenaeum, and immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere of the Old Town. Experience the rich history and charm of this captivating city.

Experience the Vibrancy of Bucharest’s Nightlife

Bucharest comes alive after dark, offering a nightlife experience that’s as diverse as it is vibrant. From swanky rooftop bars with panoramic city views to underground clubs pulsating with electronic beats, the Romanian capital promises an unforgettable night out. Local haunts serve up traditional drinks and live music, while international venues offer a taste of global party culture. Whether you’re looking to dance until dawn or enjoy a laid-back evening, Bucharest has something for every nocturnal adventurer. For an insider’s look into the city’s after-hours scene, explore our guide packed with local secrets on how to make the most of Bucharest’s nightlife .

Bucharest is a city with a rich history and culture, and there are many things to see and do. From exploring the historic Old Town to visiting the Palace of the Parliament, there is something for everyone in this vibrant city. Whether you’re interested in art, architecture, or food, Bucharest has it all. Interestingly, the city is also becoming a hotspot for digital nomads , who find its mix of history, modern amenities, and connectivity appealing. So why not book your trip today and discover this fascinating city for yourself?

Practical Travel Tips for Bucharest

Navigating safety concerns in bucharest.

Bucharest is generally considered a safe destination for tourists, but like any major city, it has its own set of safety concerns to be aware of. From petty theft to local customs, it’s essential to be informed and prepared. For a deep dive into what to watch out for, along with the latest travel advisories, check out our in-depth guide on staying safe while exploring Romania’s capital city .

Frequently Asked Questions

Should you visit bucharest in romania.

Definitely! Bucharest, often dubbed the “Paris of the East,” is a must-see city. With its rich past, tasty food, and amazing buildings, you won’t be bored.

How Long Should Your Bucharest Trip Be?

You should plan for at least 3 to 4 days to see the main spots in Bucharest. This gives you time for must-see places like the gigantic Parliament Palace and the peaceful Herastrau Park. If you want to really soak in the local culture, you might want to stay even longer.

Is Bucharest a Safe Place to Go Right Now?

Generally, Bucharest is safe for tourists. But it’s a good idea to keep an eye on travel alerts, especially because of things like health concerns worldwide. For the latest safety tips, check our in-depth guide on how to be safe while enjoying your trip in Bucharest .

How Much Cash Do You Need for a 3-Day Bucharest Visit?

For a comfortable 3-day trip, aim to have around €150-€200. This includes a place to stay, meals, and some sightseeing. Your costs could be different depending on what you like to do.

Is Bucharest Wallet-Friendly or Costly?

Compared to other big European cities, Bucharest is easier on the wallet. You get more bang for your buck, making it a great choice if you don’t want to spend a lot.

What Should You Steer Clear of in Bucharest?

It’s best to watch out for pickpocketing in crowded spots and on public transit. Always use trusted taxis (Yango, Clever or BlackCab) or ride-sharing apps to make sure you’re not overcharged.

Is Bucharest’s Tap Water Okay to Drink?

Yes, you can drink the tap water in Bucharest. But if you have a sensitive stomach, it might be better to stick with bottled water.

Can You Flush Toilet Paper in Bucharest?

Yes, you can flush toilet paper in Bucharest. The city’s plumbing can handle it.

Is Using Uber in Bucharest Safe?

Uber is a safe and convenient way to get around Bucharest. It’s easy because you pay through the app and you know who your driver is ahead of time.

Can You Get Around Bucharest on Foot?

Yes, Bucharest is good for walking, especially in areas like the Old Town. But for longer distances, the city’s public transport is also a good option.

Which Bucharest Area is the Safest?

Safer, fancier areas in Bucharest include Dorobanti, Primaverii, and Herastrau. These neighborhoods are generally secure and well-guarded.

Is Nighttime Walking Safe in Bucharest?

Generally, it’s safe to walk around at night in well-lit, busy parts of Bucharest. But, like in any city, always stay alert.

Is Bucharest Safe for Women Tourists?

Bucharest is generally safe for women traveling alone. Just use common sense like you would in any other city.

Are There Poor Areas in Bucharest?

While Bucharest has areas that are less well-off, these are usually not places tourists go.

Why Do People Call Bucharest ‘Little Paris’?

The nickname “Little Paris” comes from a time when Bucharest was heavily influenced by French culture and architecture. It’s a nod to the city’s elegant style.

Does Bucharest Have a ‘Red Light District’?

Unlike some European cities, Bucharest doesn’t have a specific “Red Light District.” But, adult clubs and bars are found around the city.

Where Do Wealthy People Live in Bucharest?

Well-off folks often live in Dorobanti, Primaverii, and Herastrau. These areas have nice homes and fancy amenities.

Is Bucharest More Affluent Than Budapest?

Budapest generally has a higher income per person. But Bucharest is catching up, thanks to its growing economy.

Do You Need Cash in Bucharest?

While many places in Bucharest accept credit or debit cards, it’s a good idea to have some local currency, known as Romanian Lei, for smaller shops or tipping. ATMs are easily found if you need to withdraw cash.

How Much Does a Meal Cost in Bucharest?

The price for a meal in Bucharest can vary. A budget-friendly meal at a casual place might cost around €5-€10 per person. If you’re going to a nicer restaurant, expect to pay around €20-€30 per person, not including drinks.

Which Is Cheaper, Prague or Bucharest?

Generally, Bucharest is more budget-friendly than Prague. From meals to accommodations, you’ll often find lower prices in Bucharest.

Is Uber Affordable in Bucharest?

Yes, Uber is usually a cheaper option compared to traditional taxis. It’s a cost-effective and convenient way to get around the city.

Is Bolt Available in Bucharest?

Yes, Bolt is another ride-sharing app you can use in Bucharest. It’s also considered a safe and affordable way to travel around the city.

Is the Euro Accepted in Bucharest?

The official currency in Bucharest is the Romanian Lei, not the Euro. While some tourist-focused businesses might accept Euros, it’s best to use Lei to avoid poor exchange rates.

Do Taxis Accept Credit Cards in Bucharest?

Some taxis in Bucharest do accept credit cards, but many prefer cash. It’s a good idea to ask the driver before you start your trip. Ride-sharing apps like Uber and Bolt allow for cashless payments.

13 Top-Rated Attractions & Things to Do in Bucharest

Written by Diana Bocco Updated Dec 24, 2023 We may earn a commission from affiliate links ( )

Once known as "Little Paris" for its elegant architecture, Romania's capital of Bucharest is rich with a storied history that merges with its modern identity.

The confluence of architecture is dizzying yet fascinating. Its Byzantine buildings; 16th-, 17th-, and 18th-century churches; Art Nouveau mansions; and spectacular Neoclassical facades have survived earthquakes, war, and later, communism – and they all mix together to create a breathtaking urban display.

During that dark political era, somber block panel masonry left its imprint, as well as the gargantuan Palace of the Parliament, the prized creation of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.

The charm of Bucharest is revealed by exploring its sprawling city parks, admiring the works of art and exhibits at its excellent museums, and getting lost in the gritty yet charming lanes that weave through the Old Town.

A stroll down Calea Victoriei , arguably one of the prettiest places to visit in the city, is an encounter with the country's grandest buildings and most meaningful monuments, all a testament to times gone by.

Exploring Bucharest is about understanding a complex past that is giving way to its modern sensibility as a booming European capital. Discover the best places to visit in this dynamic city with our list of the top attractions and things to do in Bucharest.

1. The Old Town

2. palace of the parliament, 3. romanian athenaeum, 4. stavropoleos church, 5. curtea veche: the old princely court, 6. revolution square, 7. arcul de triumf, 8. national museum of art of romania, 9. dimitrie gusti national village museum, 10. national museum of romanian history, 11. bucharest parks, 12. carturesti carusel, 13. day trip to bran castle, where to stay in bucharest for sightseeing, map of attractions & things to do in bucharest.

The Old Town is one of Bucharest's earliest settlements, where structures date back to the 15th and 16th centuries. Over the centuries, it has been the seat of Romanian princes, a center for trade, a place to worship, and a crossroads for travelers.

It also managed to survive Ceausescu's 1980s razing of one-fifth of the city to build his vision of a new Socialist capital. After spending decades as a slum, much of the Old Town has been gentrified and renovated since the fall of communism.

Yet while many historic buildings have been gallantly restored, still other properties await their facelift. This contrast gives that much more charm to the Old Town's pedestrian lanes and cobbled streets lined with bookshops, theaters, restaurants, and cafés.

Popular things to do here include visiting Curtea Veche , an open-air museum built on the site of the Old Princely Court, once home to Vlad the Impaler, and the National Museum of Romanian History with its fine collections of religious and royal treasures.

The Palace of the Parliament (Palatul Parlamentului) is one of the top tourist attractions in Bucharest. It is the world's second-largest administrative building (after the Pentagon), an architectural colossus that also claims the title as the heaviest building in the world.

Boasting more than 3,000 rooms over 330,000 square meters and constructed with marble and steel, it was originally called the People's House by its visionary, the dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, who used it as his family's residence and as the seat of his government.

To complete it, Ceausescu razed places of worship, workshops, factories, parks, part of the Old Town, and entire neighborhoods. More than 20,000 workers and 700 architects worked on the opulent Neoclassical-style palace over a span of 13 years, from 1985 to 1997, during which time the majority of Romanians faced poverty.

Still unfinished, today a small portion houses Romania's parliamentary headquarters and the National Museum of Contemporary Art . Scheduled tours bring visitors up close to its vastness, the kitsch, and the outrageous luxury Ceausescu would have continued to experience had he not been overthrown in a coup d'état.

Address: Strada Izvor 2-4, Bucharest

Home to the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra , the stately Romanian Athenaeum (Ateneul Român) is the city's most prestigious concert hall. The 19th-century building, designed by French architect Albert Galleron, resembles an ancient Greek temple with a 41-meter-high dome and a peristyle of six Ionic columns.

The interiors feature a lobby of intricately painted gold-leaf ceilings, cascading balconies, and spiral marbled staircases. The 652-seat auditorium is known for its excellent acoustics and its fine art. A 70-meter-long and three-meter-high fresco that winds its way around the circular hall proudly depicts scenes from Romania's history.

Address: Strada Benjamin Franklin 1-3, Bucharest

Official site: www.fge.org.ro/en

Tiny, peaceful, and beautiful, the Stavropoleos Church (Manastirea Stavropoleos) was built in 1724 by a Greek monk, Ioanikie Stratonikeas . With its intricately carved entrance lined with columns, this Brâncovenesc-style church stands apart as a unique landmark in Bucharest.

The Orthodox church features fine stone and wood carvings and a combination of Romanian and Byzantine elements. It is surrounded by a garden courtyard filled with 18th-century tombstones.

Inside, several frescoes and wood icons can be admired. The church complex once included an inn and a monastery but both were destroyed. The church itself was restored several times after damage from earthquakes, and is noted for its unique library that houses a large collection of books related to Byzantine music.

Be sure to check the church's websites for news of concerts and other events, which are available to the public.

Address: Strada Stavropoleos 4, Bucharest

Located in the heart of the Old City, the Old Princely Court (Curtea Veche) was the palatial residence of Wallachian princes. Perhaps its best-known occupant was Vlad Tepes, otherwise known as Vlad the Impaler, who inspired Bram Stoker's tale of Dracula. A statue of the infamous Romanian prince stands among what's left from the past, including the court's walls, several arches, and columns.

A 16th-century prince, Mircea Ciobanul, repaired the palace after Vlad the Impaler's rule, and he grew the surrounding Lipscani area as the trading core of Bucharest by establishing a community of skilled craftsmen.

In 1559, Ciobanul built the Old Princely Court Church next to the palace. For the two centuries that followed, it was the place for succeeding Romanian princes to be coronated.

Also worthy of a visit is the Old Court Museum, which features pottery and artifacts found during an archaeological dig around the ruins.

Address: Strada Franceza 25-31, Bucharest

Revolution Square (Piata Revolutiei) earned its name after setting the scene of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu's final minutes of power in Romania. On December 21, 1989, a coup d'état ensued here with the help of a crowd of more than 100,000, forcing the leader of the communist party to flee and changing the course of the country's history.

Until that date, the central square was known as Palace Square, due to its proximity to the Royal Palace, which is the current home to the National Museum of Art .

Other historic buildings stand nearby, including the Senate Palace , the Romanian Athenaeum , and the Athenee Palace Hilton Bucharest .

Revolution Square is also known for the dramatic Monument of Rebirth . Erected in 2005, it includes the names of the 1,058 victims of the bloody revolution and a bronze statue of Iuliu Maniu, the Romanian prime minister imprisoned by the communist party.

Address: Calea Victoriei Boulevard, Bucharest

Finished in 1878, Bucharest's first Arch of Triumph (Arcul de Triumf) was made from wood and dedicated to the Romanian soldiers who fought in World War I. In 1936, it was reconstructed in granite and designed by architect Petre Antonescu at a height of 27 meters. The arch is adorned with sculptures created by the most notable Romanian sculptors, including Ion Jalea and Dimitrie Paciurea.

To this day it continues to serve its purpose of being the central point for military parades. Romanian soldiers march beneath it for big events, including each December 1st, which is the country's national holiday.

Address: Kiseleff Road, Bucharest

Housed in the former Royal Palace, the National Museum of Art of Romania (Muzeul National de Arta al României) is the country's leading art museum and houses the world's most complete collection of Romanian art, including medieval and modern art.

Established in 1948, the museum is also where the Royal Collection , including Romanian and European art dating back to the 15th century, can be admired. More than 100,000 works are in the various halls, including paintings by the country's most celebrated artists, Theodor Aman, Nicolae Grigorescu, and Gheorghe Tattarescu.

The modern Romanian collection features sculptures by Milita Petrascu and Dimitrie Paciurea. One room is dedicated to Constantin Brancusi, one of the most influential sculptors of the 20th century. The European Gallery next door has 15 rooms including works by El Greco, Monet, Rembrandt, Renoir, and Rubens.

Address: Calea Victoriei 49-53, Bucharest

Official site: www.mnar.arts.ro/en/

Founded in 1936, the Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum – usually shortened to simply the "Village Museum" ( Muzeul Satului ) – is a unique open-air museum that stretches through leafy Herastrau Park and depicts the traditional way of life in Romania.

Visitors can wander through 300 traditional buildings, including peasant homes with steep roofs, thatched barns, heavy log cabins, various types of churches, workshops, and mills – all of which have been transported from towns across every region of Romania.

Each building was carefully taken apart, shipped to the museum, and rebuilt to be part of the walkable village-like setting in the park. The Village Museum also displays artifacts and pottery, as well as other traditional items hailing from around the country.

Address: Sos. Kiseleff 28-30, Herastrau Park, Bucharest

The National Museum of Romanian History (Muzeul National de Istorie a României) is set in an attractive Neoclassical building originally built for the Romanian postal service. Since 1970, the museum's 60 rooms have displayed the country's most fascinating historical exhibits dating from prehistoric to modern times.

The biggest permanent exhibit is a huge replica of the 2nd-century Trajan's Column , built in honor of the conquering Roman emperor Trajan, who defeated Romania's ancient Dacian tribes.

Thousands of gold items and Neolithic artifacts, including jewelry dating to the time of the Geto-Dacians, can be found in the Romanian Treasury. On permanent display are the Romanian Crown Jewels , including stunning emerald pieces made for Queen Marie, who was the wife of Romanian King Ferdinand.

Also here are gold artifacts from the 4th-century Pietroasele Treasures . It was once considered the most valuable treasure collection in the world before Tutankhamen's tomb was unearthed.

The Grigore Antipa National Museum of Natural History (Muzeul National de Istorie Naturala Grigore Antipa) – usually referred to simply as the Antipa Museum – should also be included in your list of Bucharest places to visit. Recently refurbished, it houses everything from interactive exhibits to traditional displays of animal species from around the world.

Address: Calea Victoriei 12, Bucharest

Bucharest is swathed in beautiful parks that are frequented by locals year-round. The oldest city park, designed in the mid-19th century, is Cismigiu Gardens . Renting rowboats is one of the most popular things to do here in the summer, and the ice rink is popular in winter.

German landscape architect Carl Meyer designed the park, which opened in 1860, bringing in 30,000 trees and plants from the Romanian mountains and greenery from botanical gardens in Vienna.

Spread over 400 acres, King Michael I Park is home to the Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum , an open-air theater, sports club, and an old-fashioned amusement park. At its lake, boat rentals are available to the public every summer. Bordering the park, 19th- and 20th-century villas are the homes of Bucharest's elite.

Designed by French landscape artist Eduard Redont and completed in 1906, Carol Park is considered one of the most beautiful parks in the capital. Romania's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is located here as well as a Roman-era styled open-air theater called Arenele Romane, which is popular for summer concerts.

Also worth exploring, the Bucharest Botanical Garden (Gradina Botanica din Bucuresti) was established in 1860. It is spread across 17 hectares and boasts more than 10,000 different species of plants. Highlights include its numerous greenhouses, an informative museum, and plenty of flower beds to enjoy.

Set inside a beautifully restored 19th-century building in the center of the Old Town is the city's most impressive bookshop, Carturesti Carusel . This 1,000-square-meter shop is spread across six floors, with shelves stocked with more than 10,000 books, as well as 5,000 albums and DVDs.

Its design is impressively minimal, playing with light that filters through a central skylight, creating an atmosphere that is like a moving carousel, hence its name, which literally translates to " Carousel of Light ."

The bookshop is a local hub, not only for reading and browsing through books, but for art and relaxing. Carturesti Carusel is also frequented for its changing contemporary art displays, media center presentations, and welcoming top-floor bistro café.

Address: Strada Lipscani 55, Bucharest

Bucharest is the starting point for one of the most popular day trips from Bucharest: Bran Castle. Better known internationally as Dracula's Castle, this national monument was built in the 14th century and likely had nothing to do with the fictional Bram Stoker character. In fact, there's no evidence that Stoker even knew the castle existed – or proof that Vlad the Impaler (the inspiration for Dracula) ever visited the castle.

Still, the dramatic and haunting castle – which sits on a hill against thick forests often enveloped in fog – remains one of the most iconic visual representations of Romania, and it's well worth a visit. Now a museum displaying period furniture and objects that once belonged to Queen Marie, the castle also tells visitors about Vlad the Impaler and offers access to towers, narrow passageways, and spooky staircases.

The 14th-century Rasnov Fortress is just minutes away from the castle and is a masterwork of engineering, featuring nine towers, over 30 houses, a chapel, and many other buildings.

Visitors can also make their way to the nearby open-air Ethnographic Museum of Transylvania, featuring 90 buildings reflecting the lifestyle of rural Transylvania. These include everything from mills to wooden churches.

Luxury Hotels :

• The highly rated, 5-star Epoque Hotel should certainly be at the top of your list of luxury hotels in Bucharest. An easy walk from things to do, such as taking in an opera or classical concert at the Romanian Athenaeum and popular city parks, the Art Nouveau design of the building adds to the hotel's chic appeal. A variety of room options are available, including spacious suites with separate living rooms, kitchenettes, and balconies or terraces.
• The luxurious JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel is another 5-star offering to check out (and into). Located close to top city attractions, including the opulent Palace of the Parliament, this luxury hotel features classy rooms with separate seating areas and posh marble bathrooms, with an option to upgrade to larger suites with pullout couches. Amenities include a choice of five restaurants plus a café, outdoor dining, an indoor pool, and spa.
• The modern-looking InterContinental Bucharest is another contender. Close to many of the city's top tourist attractions, the InterContinental's largest suites come with big bathrooms, with whirlpool tubs, and living rooms. Notable amenities include on-site dining, a spa, fitness center, and indoor swimming pool overlooking Bucharest.

Mid-Range Hotels :

• The Hilton Garden Inn Bucharest Old Town is at the high-end of the mid-range hotel category. Highlights of the hotel's accommodation choices include modern rooms and suites, some with pullout couches, within an easy walk of the city's top attractions. On-site things to do include dining and working out in the fitness center.
• Popular for its proximity to city transit, Athina Suites Hotel features spacious one- and two-bedroom units with balconies and bright, modern décor. Guests are treated to a great breakfast buffet in the on-site restaurant.
• Hotel Christina also comes highly recommended. Situated near good restaurants, cafés, and entertainment options, the casual rooms are clean and comfortable and come with coffee machines and free Wi-Fi (be sure to request a room with a balcony if available). A buffet-style breakfast is included with your stay.

Budget Hotels :

• A quirky budget accommodation set in an old home, Good Living Bucharest Hotel consists of just six units – three double rooms and three apartment-style suites. In addition to its shared kitchen, guests also have access to shared living areas. The hotel is also popular for its proximity to the historic Old Town area, just a 15-minute walk away.
• The Little Bucharest Old Town Hostel is a great choice for those on a tight budget who don't mind sharing. Centrally located in the historic Old Town sector of the city, rooms are mixed-gender and come with linens and lockers. A number of private rooms are also available and come with their own bathrooms. A kitchen and lounge area is available for guests to use.
• Also fun for backpackers, the cool Podstel Bucharest features great shared rooms (plus one private room) close to the city's top attractions. Laundry service is available, along with luggage storage, and free parking.

More Related Articles on PlanetWare.com

Exploring Eastern Europe : Beautiful Bucharest makes for an excellent jumping-off point for other equally attractive city destinations in Eastern Europe. The Hungarian capital of Budapest is among the most visited cities in Europe, and offers plenty to do, from enjoying its tourist attractions to relaxing in the spas built upon its thermal springs. One of the top places to visit here is Castle Hill , which dominates Buda Old Town and offers superb views over the Danube. Then, of course, there's magnificent Prague , a "city of a thousand spires" that also makes a great jumping-off point to explore other areas of the Czech Republic .

• 1.1 Climate
• 1.3 Visitor information
• 3.1 By plane
• 3.3 By train
• 4.1.1 Ticketing
• 4.1.2 By metro
• 4.1.3 By bus, tram or trolleybus
• 4.3.1 By ride hailing
• 5.1 Landmarks
• 5.2 Museums
• 5.3 Galleries
• 5.4 Churches and monasteries
• 6.1.1 Walking tours
• 6.1.2 Parks
• 6.2 Concert venues
• 6.3.2 Mainstream
• 7.1 Shopping malls
• 7.2 Book stores
• 8.2 Mid-range
• 8.3 Splurge
• 9.1 Clubbing
• 10.1.1 Camping
• 10.1.2 Hostels
• 10.1.3 Budget hotels
• 10.2 Mid-range
• 10.3 Splurge
• 11.1 Transportation
• 11.2 Neighborhoods
• 11.3 Police
• 12.1 Laundry
• 13.1 Embassies

Bucharest ( Romanian : București ) is Romania 's capital and largest city. Bucharest has a very interesting mix of old and new: finding a 300-year-old church near a steel-and-glass tower that sits next to a communist-style building is commonplace in Bucharest. Bucharest offers some excellent attractions, and has cultivated a sophisticated, trendy, and modern sensibility that many have come to expect from a European capital.

Understand [ edit ]

Bucharest is the primary entry point into Romania , and the most important industrial and commercial centre of the country. With more than 2.1 million inhabitants in its urban area, Bucharest is one of the largest cities in Southeastern Europe.

Bucharest is a booming city with many large infrastructure projects changing the old face of the city, which used to be known in the past as "The Little Paris".

Bucharest has benefited from an economic boom along with the EU grants that have helped rebuild parts of the city, including the revamped old town. Those who have known Bucharest in the past will be surprised by the changes that are taking place. The largest finished project is the impressive Basarab overpass, which is Europe's widest cable bridge.

Climate [ edit ]

Bucharest, like most of Romania, has a temperate-continental climate with hot summers and cold winters. This region of Romania gets all four seasons, although spring is brief and falls mainly in April. The average high daily temperature in summer is about 29 °C and in winter about 2 °C. It can get really hot and dry during the summer (30 °C) and really cold during the winter (-20 °C), even though temperatures below -12 °C are extremely rare. Best time to visit is April through June, September through October and early December.

Time [ edit ]

Bucharest is in the Eastern European time zone (UTC+2, with a DST of UTC+3 from April to October).

Visitor information [ edit ]

• Visitor information from Romania Tourism

Talk [ edit ]

The official language is Romanian , a Romance language which claims to be the closest currently-spoken relative to Vulgar Latin, but contains around 20% of loan words from Slavonic languages. Most younger educated people will speak English reasonably well and will likely be proficient in one or more second Romance languages; most educated people born before about 1980 will speak French, Spanish or Italian reasonably well. The Roma people (Gypsies) speak their native Romany, as well as Romanian, and sometimes English as well. Beyond that, as in any major city, there will be a smattering of other languages like Chinese, Arabic, Turkish, Hungarian and German.

Get in [ edit ]

By plane [ edit ].

The IATA code BUH  IATA corresponds to "all" airports in Bucharest, not a specific one.

• 44.571111 26.085 2 Henri Coandă International Airport ( OTP  IATA ), Calea Bucureştilor 224E, Otopeni ( 18 km north of the center along the DN 1 ), ☏ +40 21 204 1000 . Flights from: Abu Dhabi , Alicante , Bari , Basel / Mulhouse , Billund , Castellon , Copenhagen , Dortmund , Eindhoven , Geneva , Glasgow , Hamburg , Leipzig , Lisbon , Liverpool , Larnaca , Lyon , Nuremberg , Salzburg , Seville , Stockholm , Tenerife , Turin , Valencia and Zaragoza (provided by Wizz Air ); Amman , Beirut , Cairo , Prague and Sofia (TAROM); Amsterdam ( KLM and TAROM); Athens ( Aegean Airlines , TAROM and Wizz Air); Barcelona (HiSky and Wizz Air); Belgrade ( Air Serbia and TAROM); Berlin Bristol , Edinburgh , Genoa , Manchester , Marseille , Paphos and Pescara (Ryanair); Birmingham , Bologna , Catania , Charleroi , Leeds / Bradford , Malta , Naples , Pisa , Tirana and Venice - Treviso (Ryanair and Wizz Air); Bordeaux (HiSky); Brussels and Chișinău ( HiSky and TAROM ); Budapest and Nice (TAROM and Wizz Air); Doha ( Qatar Airways ); Dubai ( flydubai and Wizz Air); Dublin ( Ryanair and HiSky); Dusseldorf and Stuttgart (provided by Eurowings ); Frankfurt ( Lufthansa , HiSky and TAROM); Istanbul ( Pegasus Airlines , TAROM and Turkish Airlines ); London ( British Airways and TAROM, from Stansted provided by Ryanair and from Gatwick or Luton provided by Wizz Air); Luxembourg ( Luxair ); Madrid and Thessaloniki (Ryanair, TAROM and Wizz Air); Malaga (HiSky, Ryanair and Wizz Air); Milan (Ryanair and Wizz Air or from Bergamo provided also by both); Munich (Lufthansa and from Memmingen provided by Wizz Air); New York (HiSky - starting 7 June 2024); Oslo ( Norwegian Air Shuttle or from Sandefjord provided by Wizz Air); Paris ( Air France and TAROM or from Beauvais provided by Ryanair and Wizzair); Riga ( airBaltic ); Rome ( AeroItalia , Ryanair, TAROM and Wizz Air); Tel Aviv ( Arkia , El Al , HiSky, Ryanair, TAROM and Wizz Air); Vienna ( Austrian Airlines and Ryanair); Warsaw ( LOT ); Zurich ( Swiss International Air Lines ). There are also seasonal flights from: Alghero and Santander (Wizz Air); Antalya ( Corendon Airlines , Pegasus Airways, SunExpress and Wizz Air); Chania (Animawings and Ryanair); Corfu (Animawings, Ryanair and Wizz Air); Gazipașa (Corendon Airlines); Heraklion (Animawings, TAROM and Wizz Air); Kefalonia , Kos and Rhodes (provided by Animawings); Mykonos , Santorini and Zakynthos ( Animawings and Wizz Air); Palermo , Perugia , Skiathos and Zadar (provided by Ryanair); Palma de Mallorca (Ryanair and Wizz Air); Split ( Croatia Airlines ); Strasbourg (TAROM). Domestic flights are from: Baia Mare , Cluj-Napoca , Iași , Oradea , Satu Mare and Suceava (provided by TAROM); Timișoara (HiSky and TAROM).

Getting there and away :

• By bus – The Express Bus is usually the best option, as it is inexpensive (50–90 minutes ride) and runs frequently. However, it can get crowded (and it lacks space for luggage) and can get snarled in traffic. The airport bus stop is straight outside Arrivals on the ground floor. Express bus 100 runs to downtown Bucharest from here via Arcul de Triumf and Piața Victoriei to Piața Unirii (bus stop 2, S side of the square). It runs every day, 05:30–21:50 every 15 min and 22:00–05:00 every 30 min.
• By train – From early 2021, trains now run in-between largest railway station Gara de Nord and the airport. Tickets can be bought at the airport, onboard or online . Trains runs every 40 minutes and there are both express and local services.
• By ride hailing – Uber and Bolt are available in Bucharest. Expect to pay 50–100 lei for a transfer from the airport into the city, depending on the traffic congestion or rush hours.
• By private shuttle – These have fixed prices per vehicle and are a good deal if there is 2 or more of you, or you're heavily laden, or your destination/pick-up is some way from the centre. For anywhere in Bucharest city, reckon to pay €20 for a small car (like a taxi, max 3 passengers), and €40 for a 7-seater minibus—larger vehicles and coaches are available. They will take you anywhere in Romania, to the Bulgarian beach resorts, and to Moldova. Search online for the main competitors.
• By taxi – Just wait outside Arrivals. Your first step will be to establish the meter rate, which daytime and early evening should be 1.69–1.79 lei/km. So, that is 35–40 lei total to city centre or old city (as of Sep 2018). At night, the rate will be around 3.50 lei/km—they're sharks if they demand more. You can call a taxi from one of the yellow electronic kiosks after you leave Arrivals. The touch screen will print a slip with the name of the taxi company, the rate, and the licence plate number of the taxi, and call it to the pavement for you. Make sure a meter is used since some of the taxis called by the kiosks will try to fleece you.
• By rental car – inchirieri auto bucuresti and inchirieri auto otopeni There are car hire desks in the Arrival area, but you only need a car if you are touring beyond the city directly.

By bus [ edit ]

Buses are a good option to get to Bucharest if coming from Moldova , Turkey , Greece and to some extent Bulgaria , given the low frequency and speeds of trains between these countries and Romania.

If you're willing to make extremely long bus rides, it's also possible to get to Bucharest from a large number of cities in Western and South-Western Europe; these buses are operated by Eurolines , their local affiliate Atlassib , or Flixbus .

• 44.4955 26.0777 1 Băneasa bus terminal , str. Ion Ionescu de la Brad nr. 10, Sector 1 ( in the northern part of town - Bus 112, 149, 205, 261 to 'Brodina' ), ☏ +40 21 2305645 .  
• 44.44826 26.14152 2 Obor bus terminal ( Autogara Obor ), B-dul Garii Obor nr. (Bulevardul Gării Obor) 5A, Sector 2 ( East - Trolley 69, 85 to 'gara Obor' ), ☏ +40 21 2523486 , fax : +40 21 2527646 .  
• 44.39818 26.04333 4 [dead link] Rahova bus terminal ( Autogara Internationala Rahova ), Sos. Alexandriei (Șoseaua Alexandria) nr. 164, Sector 5 ( South-west, - Tram 32 (terminal 'Depoul Alexandriei') links it with the city center ), ☏ +40 21 4204795 . Transfer buses for routes from Western Europe usually arrive here.  
• 44.4295 26.0029 5 Militari bus terminal ( Autogara Militari ), Str. Valea Cascadelor (Strada Valea Cascadelor) nr.1 ( West - Tram 8, 25 to 'C.F.R. Cotroceni' - Metro3 'Pacii' ), ☏ +40 72 5939939 , [email protected] .  
• Griviţa bus terminal ( North-west ), ☏ +491 761 1224002 , +491 761 1224006 (mobile) .  
• 44.41592 26.08443 6 Viilor road bus stop , Sos. Viilor, ~20 ( - Tram 23, 32 to 'Piata Chirigiu' from the northern end and tramway 7 from the southern end - ). Buses from Athens (several times per week, 16–20 hours travel time, tickets around €60 ) arrive at stations along Viilor road; also from Istanbul (three-four buses per day, 12–14 hours travel time, tickets around €45 ) arrive to here.  

From specific destinations:

• Sofia – There is a daily bus from Sofia (7 hr travel time, €18 ). It stops and starts near Tineretului subway station (one station away from city center).
• Varna – One or two buses daily only between late May-early September, 5–6 hr travel time, and tickets around €30 . They usually stop in various squares in downtown.
• Constanta – Buses very 45 min during the summer and some buses offers WiFi connection. The station is near Gara de Nord at the intersection of Strada Mircea Vulcanescu & Bulevardul Dinicu Golescu.
• Chișinău – Many companies operate 'rutieras' during the day and larger coaches during the night heading to Bucharest. The fare with one particular company was 225 lei for an 8-9 hr journey with hourly departures in the evening. There was no toilet on the bus but several stops were made by the bus driver. Most companies were in the central bus station behind the Central Market, not the southern bus station as indicated above.

Bucharest also has bus connections to a vast number of other cities in Romania. They're a convenient choice primarily when coming from places from which railways are under repair or too indirect (like Sibiu ).

Timetables for most domestic routes and several international ones are available here .

By train [ edit ]

All mainline train services from Bucharest use Gara de Nord station. Direct international trains run from Budapest (two per day, 16 hours), Chișinău (nightly, 12 hours), Istanbul (18 hours, daily direct in summer, winter by connecting trains but no slower), and Vienna (daily, 19 hours). Trains from Sofia take 10 hours, change at Ruse. Trains from Belgrade, Kyiv and Moscow are disrupted long-term, take the bus or fly.

It is worth taking the overnight train from Chișinău for the experience alone. The train is an old Soviet can with homely decor and there are always locals around keen to spend the journey drinking local cognac with some travellers. Around 03:00 the train stops for several hours to change the wheels at the border: Romania uses European standard gauge and Moldova uses the wider Soviet gauge, so expect an orchestra of lumphammers and cusswords of several languages. The train is broken into its separate carriages, hoisted on jacks for the change while you stay aboard, then lumbers on its way.

Main destinations within Romania include Brasov (2–3 hours), Constanta (2 hr), Sibiu (5-6 hr) and Timisoara (9 hr). For Cluj-Napoca, change at Brasov. Timetables for domestic routes are available from CFR [dead link] (Căile Ferate Române, the national railway company), but only four weeks in advance.

• 44.4467 26.0742 3 Gara de Nord ( Bucharest North Station ), București Nord, Piața Gării de Nord 1-3, Sector 1 ( 2 km north of centre, linked by buses 105, 123, 178, trolleys 62, 79, 85, 86, 93, 96 and tramway 42, 44, 45, 46, metro M1, M4: Gara de Nord ), ☏ +40 21 223 0880 , +40 21 319 0358 . To be precise, this is Gara de Nord A, with all mainline departures. (Gara de Nord B, 500 m north and better known as Basarab, has only suburban lines.) The main collection of ticket kiosks are north side of the hall, towards the exit onto Calea Grivitei and stairs down to the Metro. The station has lots of cafes and ATMs - plus money exchange, but rates here are very poor, walk a couple of blocks for more realistic rates. Left luggage 24/7, several travel agents, a pharmacy, and (essential to Romanians) betting shops. The old mechanical whirlyboard gives glimpses of bygone destinations, such as Minsk. Gara de Nord is on the Metro, and served by many bus routes, see above. The only taxi company permitted here is Meridian Taxi, see warnings under "Get Around". For the airport bus, exit south onto Bvd Golescu, cross (mind the trams!) and turn left for the bus stop. ( updated Apr 2018 )

By car [ edit ]

The city’s entrances from the north (the E60 road coming from Braşov and the A3 highway from Ploieşti), west (the A1 highway from Piteşti), east (the A2 highway from Constanţa), south (the E20 road from Giurgiu) and the avenues in the city center are very crowded, especially at rush hours. Right in the city center, just across from the University, thete is a major underground parking place. Although modern and safe, finding the entrance may prove to be a little tricky. An even bigger parking place (with 5 levels) is found near the Unirii Square, behind the Unirii Mall, which is also near the center area and 10 minutes away (by foot) from the old town's center. Driving on some of the secondary streets might prove to be a bit bumpy, due to only relatively good condition of these roads.

Get around [ edit ]

By public transport [ edit ]

Bucharest has one of the most extensive systems of public transport in Europe, even though it can sometimes be confusing and crowded.

Ticketing [ edit ]

The easiest option for the tourist is probably using a contactless card. In principle, this should work with any contactless credit or debit card as well as when using a smart phone or smart watch. The contactless option is always present at metro stations, and should be available on most buses (Otokar and Citaro Hybrid) and some trams, nominally lines 1, 10 and 41. The price is 3 lei for any journey lasting less than 90 minutes, no matter how many lines you are switching (just touch the machine with your card once you get into a new bus/trolleybus/tram). If your journey has not ended after 90 minutes (rarely), just touch your card again. If you forgot at what time you paid for the ride, press "1" (on older orange machines) or "i" (on newer yellow machines) > the screen will state "Consultare card" (="Card inspection") > touch your card and keep it there until the machine states "Retrageți cardul" (="Remove the card"). In the meantime, the machine will show your time left since the start of the ride, you credit (if any), your package of rides (if any) and your travel titles (if any, current or expired).

Another option is the Activ card, which costs 3.70 lei at any STB point of sale (including the airport) and can be loaded with pay-as-you-go credit and a variety of passes (daily to monthly). You can read the pay as you go and subscription tariffs online. The Activ card can not be used for the Metro (subway) system.

When entering a vehicle or subway station, you must validate your ticket: hold the card on the orange reader until you hear a short beep, green LED lights up and you can read on the display the message "Călatorie plăcută (Have a nice journey)". If you get a red light and a long beep (validation failed), try again.

One card can be used to pay for more than one person (pay-as-you-go only for the second and subsequent people). In order to validate the card for additional people, press the button "2", and then present the card a second time. In order to check the number of people the card has been validated for, and the remaining balance on the card, press "1" before presenting the card.

By metro [ edit ]

The metro, which has five lines (M1, M2, M3, M4 and M5) and covers the city quite extensively, is usually a cheap and easy way to get around even though there are surprisingly few stops in the city center, since the system was built to transport workers and commuters from outlying neighborhoods through the city to peripheral industrial areas. If you're staying outside the city center, or even if you want to travel within it, the Metro can be a very fast and convenient way of getting around, avoiding the traffic jams and crowds that frequently characterize surface transport. The network is frequent, fairly comfortable, reliable and easy-to-use.

Tickets can be purchased from electronic kiosks in the stations that offer instructions in English and other languages. They accept most Romanian banknotes and provide change. 6 lei for a 2-ride ticket, or 25 lei for a 10-ride ticket (as of June 2022).

Line M1 starts in the eastern part of the city and then goes downtown on a circular route, passing by the main train station Gara de Nord and meeting up with the M2 line (which runs north-south) at Piaţa Unirii and Piaţa Victoriei stations. Line M3 links the western and eastern parts of the city. The central section on the M3 between Eroilor - Nicolae Grigorescu is shared with M1 and trains from both lines run in tandem having the terminus displayed at the front of the cab. Line M4 is a short line starting from Gara de Nord 2 going to Lac Straulesti . Even though Gara de Nord and Gara de Nord 2 are in close proximity, transferring between the two is taxed as a separate trip. The only platform to platform link between M4 and M1 is at Basarab station. Line M5 runs from Eroilor 2 (which it shares with lines M1 and M3 ) to Valea Ialomiței or Râul Doamnei.

Up to date maps of the subway and any changes to the schedule can be found on the Metrorex official site .

By bus, tram or trolleybus [ edit ]

Bucharest has a very complex network of buses, trams and trolleybuses. The intricate web of hundreds of bus, tram and trolleybus routes may be confusing at first. Once you know your way around the network, however, public surface transport can be a very good way of getting around since there is a bus, tram or trolleybus stop virtually everywhere in the city. The vehicles are usually very frequent, although they can still get terribly crowded at peak hours. Route planner [dead link] is available online.

Make sure you know when to get off—even though in most vehicles the following stops are announced and displayed on a screen, these displays can be unreliable. If you are uncertain if a stop is the one you want, ask your fellow travellers.

Night buses are also available. They run every 30 minutes between 23:30 and 01:00, every 45 minutes between 03:00 and 05:00. No buses run between 01:00 and 03:00. The lines can be seen here and the map here .

Car rental is available in the city and at the airport. The average starting price for a day's rental (small car) is about €10 .

By taxi [ edit ]

There are a lot of taxi companies in Bucharest and you'll easily find a cab. But be careful; only use the services of big taxi companies, not small independent taxis (which can charge up to ten times the price). Cars from these companies have the rates displayed on the door; the quoted rate is charged once when the meter starts, and again for every kilometer driven. There is also an time-based hourly rate, which is not listed, but should be around ten times the per-km fee. If a taxi does not display these prices on the door it is best not to take it and find another, as you'll probably be massively overcharged. Some taxis have a low "nighttime rate" listed in a large font with an expensive "daytime rate" listed in a smaller font. So, read carefully and remember that noapte means night. At the beginning of your trip, the driver should start the meter; if they do not, be sure to remind them. If you are travelling outside the city limits (say to or from the airport) prices per km and per hour are often doubled, or an extra 10–15 lei is added to the fare. Be wary of taking taxis from touristy areas. Conmen have been known to demand large sums for passengers to recover their luggage from the trunk or even mug their passengers. However, most taxi drivers are nicer than usual with foreigners, as they expect to keep the change when they get paid at the end of the ride. Smart phone users can download the Clever Taxi app. The app will allow you to choose and summon a taxi to your map location based on vicinity and price.

By ride hailing [ edit ]

Uber and Bolt are available in Bucharest, also in the airport area. At least Uber allows to pay by credit/debit car and cash. There is no shortage of drivers using Uber, and some might view it as safer and easier.

See [ edit ]

Landmarks [ edit ]

Museums [ edit ]

• Branch Museums: The Art Collections Museum (Muzeul Colecţiilor de Artă), 111, Calea Victoriei, phone:+40 21 2129641; +40 21 2121749. May-Sep: Sa-W 11:00-19:00; Oct-Apr: Sa-W 10:00-18:00. Huge collection of Romanian artworks, and some wonderful textiles and sculpture from the East. Joint ticket with the National Art Museum for 30 lei.
• K.H. Zambaccian Museum (Muzeul K. H. Zambaccian). 21A, Muzeul Zambaccian Street, phone:+40 21 2301920. May-Sep: W-Su 11:00-19:00, Oct-Apr: W-Su 10:00-18:00. Collection of Romanian artworks collected by a prominent Armenian businessman. Also has works by Cézanne, Monet, Picasso and Matisse. Theodor Pallady Museum (Muzeul Theodor Pallady). 22, Spătarului Street, phone: +40 21 2114979. May-Sep: W-Su 11:00-19:00, Oct-Apr: W-Su 10:00-18:00.
• 44.4403 26.1205 11 Firefighters Museum ( Muzeul National al Pompierilor ), Bd. Ferdinand I, nr. 33 (Foişorul de Foc), sector 2 , ☏ +40 21 2522884 . rarely opened . A 42-metre high building between Obor, Calea Moșilor and Nerva-Traian. It was used in the past as an observation tower by the firemen. Tram 14 to 'Bd. Pache Protopopescu' .  

Galleries [ edit ]

Churches and monasteries [ edit ].

Do [ edit ]

There are two free weekly guides published in Bucharest featuring all the events of the week, as well as listing the addresses of most restaurants, clubs, pubs, bars, cinemas etc. in the city. One is Şapte Seri (Seven nights), the other 24-FUN . They have small sections in English available.

Walking and recreation [ edit ]

Walking tours [ edit ].

• A walking tour is a good way to get accustomed with a new city. You can find free guided walking tours of the city centre, this being an option for budget visitors, youth and backpackers. Usually, you have to book the tours, but in the high season there are tours organized every day, rain or sun.
• There are also paid tours to be found, in this case booking being necessary at all times.
• Access the free Audio Guide with GPS on smartphone for most relevant tour (17 attractions) on http://IZI.travel (IOS, Android, Windows). Then consider other tours with Audio Guides in Bucharest and surroundings. For example: "Bucharest - Old City Centre" (with 40 included attractions) or related to the nearby protected natural area from Snagov lake and forest.
• 44.604638 26.082543 1 Therme București . Huge thermal water park. ( updated Feb 2016 )

Parks [ edit ]

Concert venues [ edit ]

Cinema [ edit ]

Most films are screened in their original language with Romanian subtitles; some animation features and children's movies are dubbed in Romanian. Cinemas are found in every shopping mall.

Art [ edit ]

• Cinemateca Română , strada Eforie nr. 2 ( near the old quarter ), ☏ +40 21 3130483 . A branch of the National Film Archives, screens mostly classic movies.  
• Noul cinematograf al regizorului roman ( Romanian director's new cinema ), strada Intrarea Monetăriei nr. 3 ( at the Romanian Peasant Museum ), ☏ +40 21 317 9660 , fax : +40 21 312 9875 . Art films and documentaries selected by major Romanian directors. 10 lei .  
• Eurocinema , strada Johann Gutenberg nr. 19 ( near Izvor bridge ), ☏ +40 21 315 8165 , fax : +40 21 3121962 . Th-Su at 20:00 . Plays mainly independent European movies. 10 lei .  
• Europa , Calea Moşilor nr. 127 ( at the start of Moşilor road ), ☏ +40 21 314 2714 . Plays relatively recent European movies.  
• Cinema Elvira Popescu , Bulevardul Dacia nr. 77 ( at the French Institute ), ☏ +40 21 2100224 . Mostly French movies. 20 lei, carnet of 5 tickets: 70 lei, children under 12: 10 lei . ( updated Jun 2022 )

Mainstream [ edit ]

• Cinema City , Bulevardul Vasile Milea nr. 4 ( in the AFI Palace mall ), ☏ +40 21 407 0000 . Largest multiplex in the city (21 screens, including one IMAX). 17-32 lei .  
• Hollywood Multiplex , Calea Vitan nr. 55-59 ( in the Bucharest Mall ), ☏ +40 21 327 7020 . This was the first multiplex to open in Bucharest and has 10 screens. 22-35 lei .  
• Movieplex , Bulevardul Timişoara nr. 26 ( in the Plaza Romania mall ), ☏ +40 21 43 10000 , fax : +40 21 4078333 . Located in the western part of Bucharest, has 11 screens. 15-45 lei .  
• Patria , Bulevardul Gh. Magheru nr. 12-14 ( between Universităţii and Romană squares ), ☏ +40 21 3169266 . A large (over 1,000 seats) 1930s cinema located along the city's main avenue.  
• Scala , Bulevardul Gh. Magheru nr. 2-4 ( between Universităţii and Romană squares ), ☏ +40 21 316 6708 . Another large older cinema in the downtown.  
• CinemaPro , strada Ion Ghica nr. 3 ( near Universităţii square ), ☏ +40 31 8241360 , [email protected] . 14-24 lei .  

Sport [ edit ]

• Arena Națională (capacity 55,000) hosts international soccer matches plus club side FCSB. It's 5 km east of city centre, take the tram along Basarabia Bvd.
• FCSB play soccer in Liga 1, the country's top tier. Their home ground is the National Arena.
• FC Dinamo București also play in Liga 1. They play at Dinamo Stadium (capacity 15,000) 2 km north, with its own Metro and tram station.
• Rapid București also play in Liga 1. Most games are at Rapid-Giulești Stadium (capacity 14,000) 5 km northwest, but some big matches are at National Arena.

Buy [ edit ]

Major brand-name shops and upscale boutiques are concentrated along the main boulevard from Piaţa Romană to Piaţa Unirii and on the small streets adjacent to this boulevard, but also on Calea Victoriei, on Calea Dorobanţilor (the part between Blvd. Iancu de Hunedoara and Piaţa Dorobanţilor) or on Calea Moşilor's section between Blvd. Carol I and Piaţa Obor.

Shopping malls [ edit ]

In the past years numerous modern shopping centers have sprung up in the city (and even more are in construction), the best known being:

• 44.420291 26.126576 1 Bucharest Mall , Calea Vitan 55-59 ( Bus 123, 124, 125, 135 or tram 15, 19, 23 or M1,3 'Timpuri Noi' 1km W ), ☏ +40 21 3276700 , fax : +40 21 3209209 , [email protected] . The first one to be completed, in 1999.  
• 44.514425 26.115279 2 Jolie Ville Galleria , Str. Erou Iancu Nicolae nr. 103 bis, Voluntari, judetul Ilfov ( In northern Outskirts, Bus 301 to 'Jolie Ville Baneasa' 100 m ), ☏ +40 21 2068001 , fax : +40 21 2068 002 , [email protected] . Daily 10:00-22:00 . Mega Image hypermarket, services: Florists, pharmacies, cleaners.  
• 44.428654 26.035043 3 Plaza Romania , Bulevardul Timișoara 26 ( M3 "Lujerului" 0.8 km N further tram 41 to 'Bd. Timisoara', or tram 8, 25 to 'Brasov' ), ☏ +40 21 3195050 , fax : +40 21 3195051 , [email protected] .  

• 44.428484 26.104438 4 Unirea Shopping Center , sector 3, Piața Unirii, nr.1 ( Downtown - M 1,3 'Piața Unirii' Stn. Includes a large Carrefour supermarket. ), ☏ +40 21 3030307 , [email protected] .  
• 44.507589 26.089562 5 Băneasa Shopping City , Șoseaua Bucureşti-Ploieşti nr.42D ( Bus 261, 301, 304, 449 to 'Drumul Matasii' ), ☏ +40 21 3057195 . Opened in April 2008.  
• 44.430669 26.052057 7 AFI Palace Cotroceni , district 6, Bulevardul Vasile Milea, No. 4 , ☏ +40 31 4257510 , fax : +40 31 4257513 .  
• 44.39606 26.121794 8 Sun Plaza , district 4, Calea Văcărești 391 ( M2 'Stația Piața Sudului', Trolley 73, 74, 77; Tram 11, bus 232, 242, 312, 313, 381, 634 ), [email protected] . Gallery stores M-Sa 10:00-22:00, Restaurants & cafes: Su-Th 10:00-23:00, F-Sa 10:00-24:00; Cora hypermarket: M-F 8:00 -22:00 .  
• 44.442606 26.151811 10 Mega Mall , Str. Pierre de Coubertin nr. 3-5 . Opened in 2015, this is the newest and one of the biggest shopping malls Bucharest has to offer.  

Book stores [ edit ]

Book stores with a good supply of English language books are difficult to find in Bucharest but there are a few places mainly situated in the center.

• 44.431914 26.101608 11 Cărturești Carusel , Lipscani 55 . Breathtaking bookstore in a restored 19th-century building.  
• Cărtureşti , Str Arthur Verona nr.13 , ☏ +40 21 3173459 . A few blocks south of Piaţa Romană on the east side of Bd. Magheru. The store is set back the street and has a small park in front of it. +phone=+40 21 72 1518351, 788758408  
• 44.447406 26.096431 12 Bastilia . Excellent bookshop (with nice cafe at top) located in newly renovated building right at Piata Romana. ( updated Feb 2015 )
• Nautilus . An English-language bookstore near the Kiseleff Park, mostly with fantasy and science fiction books.  
• Anthony Frost English Bookshop , Calea Victorei, Nr. 45, Sector 1, Bucharest, Romania ( The bookstore near the Art Museum. Walk down the right side of the large building just to the left of a very old church. The bookstore is near the back. ), ☏ +40 21 3115138 , [email protected] . An English-language bookstore. Lots of reasonably-priced books and a comics (mostly manga) section.  
• Dalles . Near Piaţa Universităţii (University square).  

Eat [ edit ]

Budget [ edit ]

• 44.432482 26.102056 1 SC Argentin Impex LLC , Strada Blănari nr 11-13 . Very good Romanian meals, a treat for the senses. Nice quiet outdoor area. ( updated May 2022 )
• 44.432736 26.097828 2 Kanteen 162 , Strada Lipscani 19 . Very good food, consistent menus, impeccable service and kind staff. Best place to find the traditional taste of organic food. ( updated May 2022 )
• 44.430556 26.10173 3 Bodega "La Mahala" , Strada Covaci 8 . A secluded and quiet place hidden a bit among the noisy and losing western-style pubs of the Old Town. It has an intimate and a bit old-fashioned Romanian look which gives it the feeling of the 90's with some more modern elements. The decor is nice and the food equally good. Cats are present. ( updated May 2022 )
• 44.432043 26.104498 4 Art Café , Strada Lipscani 98 . Very good Romanian food, caring and nice ladies. It a self-service. ( updated May 2022 )
• 44.437619 26.101565 5 Luca , vis-a-vis Intercontinental, Bulevardul Nicolae Bălcescu 16A . Romanian traditional pastries. There are both sweet and savory products. Good for vegetarians. Huge selection of pastries for all tastes. A recommendation for the covrigi . ( updated May 2022 )

Mid-range [ edit ]

• 44.439852 26.125309 6 Cuptorul cu lemne , Bulevardul Pache Protopopescu 63 , ☏ +40 21 2522414 . A nice pizza place with a nice outdoor summer garden and a relaxed atmosphere (the restaurant also houses a caricature club). Tends to be very crowded during weekends. ( updated Aug 2022 )
• 44.423694 26.091966 7 Locanta Jaristea , Strada George Georgescu 50-52 ( near the crossroad of Regina Maria Blvd. and Libertăţii Blvd ), ☏ +40 021 335 33 38 , [email protected] . Daily 11:00-last customer . Beautiful historically themed restaurant, live traditional music, old Romanian specialties; but always check the bill thoroughly. Reservations are compulsory. ( updated Aug 2022 )
• 44.436148 26.106253 8 Rossetya 2.0 , 9 Str Dimitrie Bolintineanu . Classic style restaurant with prices a bit higher than average, but with a very neat and cultivated atmosphere, outstandingly friendly English-speaking personnel, high food quality. ( updated May 2022 )
• 44.434299 26.101919 9 Trattoria Il Calcio Universitate , Strada Ion Ghica 6 . One of best pizza places in old town. ( updated May 2022 )

• La Mama (6 outlets around Bucharest, Barbu Văcărescu 3, Delea Veche 51, Episcopiei 9, and Carrefour Orhideea being the largest ones, +40 21-2124086) - focusing on traditional Romanian food. Reasonable prices. (updated May 2022)
• Trattoria Buongiorno , Str Franceza 52 . Trattoria Buongiorno is bringing a little piece of Italy to the middle of Bucharest. ( updated May 2022 )
• Taj Indian Cuisine ( Calea 13 Septembrie, 127-131, ), Sector 5, Bucureşti ( Near Marriott hotel ), ☏ +40 21 410 1820 . Daily 12:00-24:00 . Good Indian restaurant near Marriott hotel, especially for vegetarians. Little pricey . ( updated May 2022 )
• 44.377767 26.164556 12 Il Bocconcino - Restaurant si livrare Popesti-Leordeni , Strada Mirăslău nr. 26, Popești-Leordeni 077160 ( the entrance is through the park ), ☏ +40 729 451 049 , [email protected] . 11:00 - 23:00 . Italian restaurant. 20 - 80 . ( updated Jan 2021 )
• 44.462138 26.09928 13 Kanpai , str. George Călinescu 49 . Japanese pub/bistro. ( updated May 2022 )
• 44.43057 26.102895 14 Lacrimi și Sfinți , Șepcari 16 . ( updated May 2022 )
• 44.433362 26.09487 15 Pâine și Vin . ( updated May 2022 )

Splurge [ edit ]

• 44.447688 26.103727 16 Beca's Kitchen . ( updated May 2022 )
• Casa di David , Soseaua Nordului nr. 7-9 , ☏ +40 21 232 47 15 . Opened in 2005, it is a hangout of the city's nouveau riche. It comes complete with German car ads at the entrance and an extensive wine list. Food (Italian inspired) and ambience are OK, but portions are small and prices are far above average for Bucharest. A 3-course meal for two with local wine will set you back over 400 lei.  
• 44.421768 26.08765 17 Mahala , Calea Rahovei 147-153 . ( updated May 2022 )
• Red Angus Steakhouse , 87th Nicolae Caramfil Blvd , ☏ +40 21 720-720-863 . In the Old Center, across the street from the Old Court. The restaurant serves high quality USDA Choice beef and offers an excellent, diverse menu, for all tastes. Also at 56 Franceza St. ( updated May 2022 )
• 44.430016 26.097585 18 the ARTIST Restaurant , Calea Victoriei 147 . ( updated May 2022 )

Drink [ edit ]

• 44.430784 26.101903 1 1974 Niște Domni și Fiii . ( updated Mar 2015 )
• Absintherie Sixtină ( Sixtine Absintheria ), Covaci 6, 1st floor , ☏ +40 21 3103566 . Classic style bar with reasonable prices. The absinthe is served with a slow drip fountain.  
• Beer O'Clock , Gabroveni 4 and Villacrosse passage (near Police Department) . Bar with several types of Belgian, Czech and Slovak beer.  
• 44.444237 26.096626 2 Camera din Față . Cafe/tea house ( updated Oct 2015 )
• Curtea berarilor ( The Brewers Court ), Selari 9-11 , ☏ +40 723 279620 , +40 21 3137532 . Su 12:00–24:00; M-W 13:00-01:00; Th-Sa 13:00-4:00 . Pub in old center having mostly Timişoreana beer. ( updated Apr 2017 )
• 44.43329 26.094903 3 Energiea . ( updated Feb 2017 )
• 44.456945 26.105714 4 Ganesha Cafe . ( updated Nov 2015 )
• Green Hours , Calea Victoriei 120 , ☏ +40 722 234356 , +40 788 452485 . A quiet club which often hosts jazz concerts.  
• Interbelic , Intrarea Selari 1A ( near Lipscani ), ☏ +40 722 681618 . Daily 17:00-last . Cocktail bar; fine spirits, great nights. medium .  
• 44.433211 26.095261 5 Origo . ( updated Feb 2017 )
• 44.444421 26.101118 6 Piua Book Bar . ( updated Mar 2017 )
• BEAT bar umanist , Strada Robescu F. Constantin 14 , ☏ +40 748 110 388 , [email protected] . Nice cosy bar near Unirii/old town.  
• Hard Rock Cafe , 32 Kiseleff Avenue , ☏ +40-21-206-6261 . Favorite of both locals and tourists, the Hard Rock Cafe makes its home on the shores of the lake, just a few short steps from the landmark Triumph Arch.  
• Mancave , Economu Cezarescu 61 ( (near Grozavesti) ), ☏ +40 764574623 , [email protected] . M-F 7:30-00:00 S-S 10:00 00:00 . Gaming venue that also has boardgames, specialty coffee and drinks. ( updated Feb 2020 )

Clubbing [ edit ]

• [formerly dead link] Bamboo , Str. Ramuri Tei 39 ( in Tei Park ), ☏ +40 72 213 2283 , [email protected] . F 23:00-05:00; Sa 23:00-12:00 . It's the largest club in Bucharest. Upmarket and expensive.  
• Cafe Hazard , Baraţiei ( coming from Unirii towards University, take your first right after the fornetti store and then your first left ), ☏ +40 72 770 0107 . Daily 15:00-03:00 . A rock bar, with a great atmosphere, open thinking, great beer and people.  
• Gaia , Strada Tarmului, nr. 19 , ☏ +40723610933 . Daily 15:00-03:00 .  
• Club A , Strada Blănari 14 ( near University Square ), ☏ +40 759 392 059 . Daily 18:00-06:00 . The oldest club in Bucharest, with nearly 40 years tradition (this means amazingly much for a city where most clubs are less than 5 years old). Since the beginning, it was and remains a student pub and club, with an unpretentious but welcoming atmosphere, good music and low prices. Like many clubs in Bucharest, the bouncers can be overly aggressive to patrons at times.  
• Control Club , Str. Academiei nr.19 ( go to Victoria Passage coming from University square ), ☏ +40 73 392 7861 . Daily 15:00-03:00 . Best alternative/indie club with a lot of live shows and good music.  
• Expirat/OtherSide , Str. Lipscani nr. 5/Str. Brezoianu nr. 4 , ☏ +40 73 EXPIRAT (3974728) , [email protected] . Very lively and popular club, divided in two sections - Expirat, the old club with rock/dance/hiphop music, and its newer offspring, the OtherSide, where DJs spin electronica. Themed nights, very expat-friendly, great cocktails and very reasonable prices.  
• Fire Club ( near Lipscani ), ☏ +40 21 312 7019 . The most well-known rock and metal club in Bucharest. By day a pub and outdoor cafe.  
• Fratelli , Str. Nicolae Golescu 5 , ☏ +40 73 103 6222 , +40 72 185 0030 , [email protected] .  
• Kulturhaus , Str. Sf. Vineri nr.4 , ☏ +40 21 3135592 . Daily 10:00-05:00 . A club with a German concept – ”the culture house” – a place where all sort of cultural events (such as live music concerts, art exhibitions, film projections) take place. Kulturhaus is very cheap – no entry fee (except for music concerts) and low prices – it is the cheapest club in town – maybe this is why the place is crowded every Friday and Saturday night until 05:00.  
• Queen’s Club , Be. Carol I, nr. 61 , ☏ +40 72 275 4293 , [email protected] . F Sa 24:00-05:00 . Like gay clubs the world over, this place has become tremendously popular with a hetero set fed up with the meat market atmosphere at so many of the city’s other locations. That, together with superb music, makes this an essential stop for hedonists of all persuasions. Shake it. It can become quite crowded so watch yourself. Entry 20 lei, but that includes 10 lei worth of drinks at the bar . ( updated Apr 2017 )
• Underworld , Str. Colţei, nr. 48 ( go to Colţei street coming from the Rosetti Square, near University ). M-Sa 15:00-05:00; Su 15:00-24:00 . The only punk-rock oriented pub in Bucharest. It also has a small concert hall, a fusball table, board games, dedicated evenings, etc.  

Sleep [ edit ]

• 44.434515 26.099674 1 Apartamente Regim Hotelier Bucuresti ( Apartamente Termen Scurt Bucuresti ), Strada Academiei 4, Bucuresti , ☏ +40 740 011 345 , [email protected] . Check-in: 13:00 , check-out: 12:00 . Short term apartments in the city center. €40 . ( updated Jun 2018 )
• 44.433811 26.099421 2 NOT EXISTING LISTING IMAGE Short Term Apartments Rental ( STAR ), Strada Doamnei 7-9 ( By 783 bus from the Henri Coanda International Airport ), ☏ +40 740 011 376 , [email protected] . Check-in: 13:00 , check-out: 12:00 . Professionally managed serviced apartments located in the center of the city, by the Old Town. €40 . ( updated Jul 2020 )

Camping [ edit ]

• 44.517413 26.092167 3 Camping Casa Alba ( Camping White House ), Aleea Privighetorilor 1-3 ( at the edge of Băneasa Forest, 1 km N of Băneasa Airport, 12 km N of city centre ), ☏ +40 21 361 7730 . Space for up to 80 caravans or 120 tents, running water, showers, toilets, kitchen. Next to Casa Alba restaurant. ( updated Feb 2018 )

Hostels [ edit ]

• Butterfly Villa Hostel , Str. Ştirbei Vodă 96 ( entrance from Str. C.Stahi ), ☏ +40 21 314 7595 , +40 74 172 1169 , [email protected] . Clean hostel 1 km from train station in the centre of sector 1. Bed-sheets, breakfast and internet is included the price. Airport pick-up, excursions and laundry-service. From €12 /night . ( updated Feb 2018 )
• Midland Hostel , Str Biserica Amzei no 22 ( near Piata Romana Metro ), ☏ +40 21 314 5323 , [email protected] . Central, breakfast included, free internet. from €8 /night . ( updated Feb 2018 )
• Vila Gabriela , Str. Mărgăritarului 18, Vila A 104, Otopeni ( off Hwy 1, one km S of Otopeni Airport ), ☏ +40 21 236 2053 , [email protected] . Big house managed by a friendly couple, Carmina and Vlad. Carmina can speak English, French and Italian. The rooms are clean and welcoming. B&B double room (shared toilet) €25 /night; en suite €35 . ( updated Feb 2018 )
• X Hostel Bucharest , Str. Balcesti, 9 ( off Calea Calarasi, 200 m NE of Piata Unirii ), ☏ +40 21 367 4912 , [email protected] . Party hostel & pub. Free strong wireless connection, hotel standard rooms as well as large cheaper dorms, mainly air conditioned. From €6 /night . ( updated Feb 2018 )
• 44.449376 26.114737 4 Zen Tribe Hostel , Strada Radu de la Afumați 12B, București 020667 ( The black gate with the electronic coded lock ), ☏ +40 762 211 522 (mobile) . Check-in: 15:00-22:00 , check-out: 05:00-10:00 . Clean and spacious hostel. Relaxed atmosphere, very friendly owner and guests with social common spaces. Comfortable beds, great showers and good location. No laundry service. From €9 /night . ( updated Aug 2018 )

Budget hotels [ edit ]

• Carpaţi , str. Matei Millo nr. 16 ( 1 km west of Universitate Metro ), ☏ +40 21 315 0140 , fax : +40 21 312 1857 , [email protected] . One-star. Small, affordable rooms in a clean and welcoming atmosphere. €40-85 /night . ( updated Feb 2018 )
• Hotel Andy , 2 Witting St, district 1 ( Turn right as you exit station ), ☏ +40 21 300 3050 , [email protected] . 3 star, small rooms, some street noise, couldn't be closer to Gara de Nord Station. From €48 /night . ( updated Feb 2018 )
• Domino , Str.Basarabilor nr.10 ( 5 km S of centre off Hwy 5 ), ☏ +40 2 1685 4504 , fax : +40 21 629 1307 , [email protected] . 2-star, gets very mixed reviews. single 70 lei, double 100 lei, triple 130 lei . ( updated Feb 2018 )
• 44.44608 26.078528 5 Hello Hotels , Calea Grivitei 143, district 1 , ☏ +40 372 121 800 , [email protected] . Good location for those on a budget. €33 /night . ( updated Feb 2018 )
• Hotel Basarab Bucuresti , Str. Fluviului nr 23, district 1 ( On SW side of Gara de Nord Railway Station ), ☏ +40 727 438 132 . Very convenient for station, guests have found it grubby and smelly. €25 /night . ( updated Feb 2018 )

• 44.56787 26.06907 6 Vienna House Easy , 283 Calea Bucurestilor ( On Hwy 1, 300 m from Otopeni / Henri Coanda Airport ), ☏ +40 21 203 6500 , fax : +40 21 203 6510 . Good stay & fly option, hotel offers shuttle bus to terminal, you hardly need it. from €95 /night . ( updated Jun 2023 )
• 44.57422 26.0761 7 Hilto Garden Inn Bucharest Airport . Probably even more walkable than Vienna House. €80 . ( updated Jun 2023 )
• Ambasador , 8 Bvd General Gheorghe Magheru ( on main Bvd 1 km S of Piata Victoriei ), ☏ +40 21 315 9080 , fax : +40 21 312 3595 , [email protected] . 3-star in Art Deco slab, with restaurant. Single from €50 , double from €60 /night, breakfast included . ( updated Aug 2018 )
• Alia Accommodation Bucharest , 18 Nicolae Balcescu , ☏ +40 745 500 676 , [email protected] . Check-in: 13:00 , check-out: 12:00 . Serviced apartments in the city center at the University Square. Metro and buses just outside the building. €30-65 /night . ( updated Mar 2018 )
• Capitol , Calea Victoriei 29 ( off Bvd Regina Elisabeta, 200 m west of Universitate Metro ), ☏ +40 21 315 8030 , fax : +40 21 312 4169 . Comfortable, 100-year-old three-star hotel with big rooms and enormous bathrooms. €55-75 /night . ( updated Feb 2018 )
• Casa Victor , Str. Emanoil Porumbaru nr. 44 ( 2 blocks W of Bvd Aviatorilor, 200 m S of Aviatorilor Metro station ), ☏ +40 21 222 5723 , fax : +40 21 222 9436 , [email protected] . Check-out: 11:00 . 3-star hotel with restaurant, pool & spa. €55-140 /night . ( updated Feb 2018 )
• Class Hotel , 30A Garlei St. ( off Hwy 1 near Baneasa Airport, 10 km north of centre ), ☏ +40 372 135 700 . On Baneasa lakeside, 4-star hotel with restaurant, pool, spa & gym. €60 . ( updated Feb 2018 )
• Crowne Plaza , Bvd Poligrafiei nr. 1 ( 10 km N of centre ), ☏ +40 21 224 0034 , fax : +40 21 318 1302 . Business hotel close to Romexpo grounds. from €80 /night . ( updated Feb 2018 )
• Dalin Hotel , 70 Bvd Marasesti ( 500 m S of Piata Unirii ), ☏ +40 21 335 5541 . 3-star place with bar & restaurant. €50-60 /night . ( updated Feb 2018 )
• Ibis Gara de Nord , Calea Grivitei nr. 143 , ☏ +40 21 300 9100 . Reliable budget chain 100 m from railway station. from €45 /night . ( updated Feb 2018 )
• K+K Hotel Elisabeta , Str. Slanic 26 ( off Bvd Carol 1 ), ☏ +40 21 302 9280 , fax : +40 21 311 8632 , [email protected] . Central, close to University, business quarter, city centre & Cismigiu Gardens. ( updated Feb 2018 )
• Le Boutique Hotel Moxa , 4 Mihail Moxa St ( corner of 129 Calea Victoriei ), ☏ +40 21 650 5555 , [email protected] . Four-star hotel, centrally located. €80-110 /night . ( updated Feb 2018 )
• NH Bucharest , Bulevardul Mircea Voda, 21 , ☏ +40 21-300 0545 . Modern 4-star hotel in the business district. Bedrooms are cosy and comfortable with a modern twist. Rooms from €65 /night . ( updated Sep 2018 )
• Novotel , Calea Victoriei nr. 37B ( Metro Universitate ), ☏ +40 21 308 8500 . Reliable 4-star choice. The facade is what's left of the former National Theatre. From €60 /night . ( updated Feb 2018 )
• Ramada Majestic , Calea Victoriei nr. 38-40 ( Metro Universitate ), ☏ +40 21 310 2772 , [email protected] . Handy for University. €80-180 /night . ( updated Feb 2018 )
• Rin Airport Hotel , Calea Bucurestilor 255A Otopeni ( On Hwy 1 near Bucharest main airport, Otopeni ), ☏ +40 21 350 4110 , [email protected] . Check-in: 14:00 , check-out: 12:00 . Provides spacious rooms with air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, and free access to its spa area. ( updated Feb 2018 )
• 44.430035 26.120161 8 Rin Central , Str Traian 55 , ☏ +40 21 308 3153 , [email protected] . 4* hotel near city centre. €60 /night . ( updated Feb 2018 )
• Hotel Siqua , Calea Plevnei nr. 59A ( near Opera ), ☏ +40 21 319 5160 , [email protected] . With Italian restaurant, conference facilities. from €75 /night (tax and breakfast included) . ( updated Feb 2018 )
• 44.389265 26.132225 9 Hotel Corvaris , Soseaua Oltenitei 125 ( 15 km SE of centre on Hwy 4 ), ☏ +40 21 332 5146 , [email protected] . Check-in: 14:00 , check-out: 12:00 . Clean, handy for motorists. from €50 /night . ( updated Feb 2018 )

• Carol Parc Hotel , Str. Aleea Suter 23-25 , ☏ +40 21-336 3377 . Boutique hotel looking onto Carol Park. ( updated Feb 2018 )
• Epoque , 17C Intrarea Aurora 010213 ( off Strada Ionel Perlea ), ☏ +40 21 312 3232 , [email protected] . 5-star all-suites hotel in a quiet location just west of Cișmigiu Gardens. ( updated Feb 2018 )
• Europa Royale , Str Franceza 60 ( off Piata Unirii ), ☏ +40 21 319 1798 , [email protected] . A four-star hotel in the Old Town. ( updated Feb 2018 )
• Athénée Palace Hilton , str. Episcopiei nr. 1-3 , ☏ +40 21 303 3777 , fax : +40 21 315 2121 , [email protected] . 5-star Hilton near Atheneum. Nice coffee shop, pretty garden terrace in summer. ( updated Feb 2018 )
• 44.446435 26.096726 10 Sheraton Bucharest Hotel , Calea Dorobanţilor 5-7 ( corner of Bvd Dacia ), ☏ +40 21 201 5000 , fax : +40 21 201 1888 . Upscale hotel near Plata Romana, with casino & restaurants including Benihana Japanese Steakhouse. ( updated Feb 2018 )
• Intercontinental , Blvd. Nicolae Bălcescu nr. 4 , ☏ +40 21 310 2020 . Central 5-star high-rise block, with restaurant and swimming pool. ( updated Feb 2018 )
• JW Marriott Bucharest Grand , Calea 13 Septembrie nr. 90 , ☏ +40 21 403 0000 , [email protected] . Large hotel behind the Parliament building. 4 restaurants, bar, spa & sauna. ( updated Feb 2018 )
• Opera , str. Actor Ion Brezoianu nr. 37 , ☏ +40 21 312 4010 , [email protected] . 3-star near University €35 /night . ( updated Feb 2018 )
• Phoenicia Grand Hotel , 87 Bvd Aerogarii , ☏ +40 21 300 0888 , [email protected] . Check-in: 14:00 , check-out: 12:00 . Upmarket place with 4 restaurants, bar, night-club, spa and gym. Very close to Baneasa Airport at north edge of Bucharest, with main airport Otopeni another 15 km north. ( updated Feb 2018 )
• Parliament , Strada Izvor nr. 106 , ☏ +40 21 411 9990 , [email protected] . Designer hotel, looking onto Parliament building ( updated Feb 2018 )
• Radisson Blu Hotel , Calea Victoriei No. 63-81 ( 1 km from centre ), ☏ +40 21 311 9000 , fax : +40 21 601 3625 , [email protected] . Check-in: 15:00 , check-out: 12:00 . Upmarket place with indoor & outdoor pools, 5 restaurants and 4 bars. €100-150 /night . ( updated Feb 2018 )
• Rin Grand Hotel , Sos Vitan Barzesti 7D ( 10 km south of centre looking onto Lake Vacaresti ), ☏ +40 31 106 1111 , [email protected] . Stylish place edge of town with restaurant and piano bar. 24-hour fitness centre with indoor pool, a whirlpool and saunas. Also with beauty salon, conference and banquet facilities, and free parking. ( updated Feb 2018 )

Stay safe [ edit ]

The emergency number in Romania is 112 .

Bucharest is one of the safest capitals in Europe, far safer than Berlin, London and Rome. Nevertheless, violence is not an uncommon solution , towards locals or towards foreign-looking people (minorities, out of place individuals, etc.) in any club, but particularly those playing ethnic music, especially when drinking and after hours are involved. Avoiding any conflict would reduce your chances to almost zero. The crime rate is low, but a traveler must always be cautious. Violent attacks are very low, but if attacked just yell, "Ajutor!" or "Poliția!"

Transportation [ edit ]

Be incredibly careful as a pedestrian in Bucharest. Some drivers are inconsiderate and do not obey all traffic signals. Never assume a car will stop for you at a crosswalk. This is definitely the biggest hazard in Bucharest, not so much in the daytime, when crowded streets make it impossible to drive cars at high speeds, but, at night, the streets clear out, some illegal races take place with reckless driving on main boulevards.

Buses are safe, but use common sense, and put your things in internal pockets.

Taking taxis from areas frequented by foreign tourists may also pose a threat as some of these taxis may try to make the trip a bit longer than usual, in order to be paid more. Ideally, you should call or ask someone to call you a taxi or order one using apps like Bolt or Uber.

One rule of thumb is to go with older taxi drivers, since they will be more cautious and only try to get a bit extra out of you if they scam you, unlike young drivers who will claim a trip costs 3-5 times as much as it should, may claim the meter does not work, and may try intimidation tactics to make you pay. The company the taxi driver is working at and the prices should be written on the car and the driver's ID card (issued by his employer) should be visible and should contain his photo.

Be very careful of unsolicited offers of help by passers-by, even if they speak good English. In particular if a stranger offers to accompany you to your hostel or hotel in a taxi to show you the way, decline immediately. They are often working in tandem with unlicensed taxi drivers who will attempt to scam you, drop you at incorrect (and remote) locations while demanding exorbitant payment, or who will steal your luggage.

Neighborhoods [ edit ]

Like most other big cities, walking around at night isn't safe in some parts of the city, like Pantelimon, Ferentari, Giulesti, and the Gara de Nord area. If you must travel into these neighbourhoods, it's safer to take a taxi. Gara de Nord in itself is not particularly dangerous, but the surroundings are populated by homeless people and children. Be careful, as many street children use an inhalant drug (equivalent to huffing paint) and may be dangerous. It's best to avoid any contact. If you do wish to give them something, buy food for them, don't give them money.

Ferentari is an empoverished neighbourhood in southern Bucharest and, it's not advisable to walk there at night. For the visitor, there is little of interest there.

The unofficial red light district is Mătăsari, which is also a popular place for clubbers and pubs; you can walk there without any worries because it's always crowded and lively, but avoid talking to strangers there.

Police [ edit ]

Policemen are pretty friendly and the younger ones speak English, so you can ask directions. In the event that you do need to report a crime to the police, proceed to the nearest police station. They will often help you to the best of their ability.

However, if you do get caught in a police raid , do not attempt to bribe your way out of it.

Other [ edit ]

Asian tourists are more likely to be seen as an easy target for dishonest taxi drivers and other criminals. It does not make a difference if you are Asian or look Asian. Some young Asian women may also get a lot of perverted looks from men all around the city: be prepared to be stared at especially if you are travelling alone, though some men will stare no matter what.

Avoid wearing football shirts or scarves of any Bucharest or Romania-based football teams (like FCSB, Dinamo or Rapid), especially on match days. There have been several cases of people being assaulted by opposing team's fanatics.

Stay away from any protests . Often protests take place in Piața Victoriei or Piața Universității.

Stay healthy [ edit ]

Those with allergies may find Bucharest annoying in that it is both hot and very dusty in the summer, with temperatures easily exceeding 30 °C in July and August, so bring whatever you might need to stay comfortable. Please note that during the summer, sun strokes and heat strokes can be very dangerous. Therefore, it is recommended that you have a bottle of water with you, sun glasses and a hat (or equivalent).

Pharmacies are usually open between 09:00 and 18:00, but some will stay open through the night. In Romania, there are relatively few over-the-counter drugs available, but pharmacists are allowed to dispense limited quantities of some prescription drugs (such as pain relief medicine) for what they see as immediate needs. There are 51 public hospitals (of which 13 are designated emergency hospitals, including 2 for pediatric emergencies only) and about 18 private hospitals in Bucharest, along with a considerable number of private clinics, dental practices and a modern ambulance service. The nearest hospital from the city center is Colțea Hospital, located on Ion C. Brătianu Boulevard just near the Colțea Church and about 5 minutes away on foot from the University Square. It is also one of the most modern public hospitals in Bucharest.

Laundry [ edit ]

There is a new laundromat with free Wi-Fi and new equipment. It is centrally located and a nice place to hang around:

• 44.424744 26.10287 7 Fourwood Laundry , Calea Serban Voda nr. 18-20 ( behind the Horoscop Hotel and in front of the private clinic MedLife ), ☏ +40 76 8097748 , [email protected] . Centrally located at Piata Unirii. Free Wi-Fi.  

Cope [ edit ]

Embassies [ edit ], connect [ edit ].

As of November 2021, Bucharest has wide 5G coverage with Orange and Vodafone, some zones in the city center and the northern part of the city with 5G from Digi, and several spots in the northern part of the city covered by 5G with Telekom. Wifi is widely available in public places.

Go next [ edit ]

• The most attractive area of Romania is Transylvania, with its mountains and well-preserved medieval towns. Closest to Bucharest, 160 km north, is Brașov . Beyond it lie Sibiu , Sighisoara , Targu Mures and Cluj Napoca .
• Constanța , 225 km east, is a beach resort on the Black Sea coast. Frankly it's seen better days.
• Ski resorts include Sinaia , Poiana Brasov , and Predeal .
• The scenic road Transfăgărășan is not very far away. On the way you can visit also the cities Curtea de Argeș , Pitești and Ștefănești .
• A day's journey takes you out of Romania into the neighbouring countries. The star destinations, which you'll want to visit more than once, are Budapest in Hungary and Istanbul in Turkey. Also worth seeing are Belgrade in Serbia, Sofia and Plovdiv in Bulgaria, and Kyiv and Odesa in Ukraine. Chișinău in Moldova doesn't take long to see but you might need to stop-over on the way to Ukraine.

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Home » Travel Guides » Romania » 25 Best Things to Do in Bucharest (Romania)

25 Best Things to Do in Bucharest (Romania)

A city of culture in a constant state of flux, Bucharest has been shaped by earthquakes, war and the whims of a dictator. And now in the middle of a construction boom there’s a new wave of snazzy glass facades and high-rise towers that multiply by the year.

But you can still find big patches of the early 20th-century city dubbed “Little Paris” for its Beaux-Arts-style palaces, municipal buildings and museums. Bucharest harbours surprises like sweet fresco-coated churches hiding in the shadow of communist apartment blocks. Some of these churches were lost in the 1980s when the city was reconfigured along the lines of a European Pyongyang, but many were saved by being moved in one piece to backstreets.

Let’s explore the best things to do in Bucharest :

1. Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum

The whole west side of the Herăstrău Park is given over to a massive outdoor museum, which has more than 270 authentic historic buildings.

Made from stone, wood or cob (clay and straw), these have been carefully dismantled and put back together at this site and come from all corners of the country, from Banat in the West to Moldova in the east and Transylvania in the centre.

Each region has its own style, whether it’s the brightly painted walls from the Danube Delta to the ornately carved portals from Berbeşti in the centre of Romania.

The museum was established by the eminent sociologist Dimitrie Gusti in 1936 and its oldest houses date from the 18th century.

Each house also has a recorded explanation of its style and region, available in English.

Suggested tour : Traditions in Bucharest: Village Museum & Wine Tasting

2. Parliamentary Palace

A building of absurd magnitude, the Parliamentary Palace hosts Romania’s Parliament, but also perfectly encapsulates Nicolae Ceaușescu’s megalomania.

At 365,000 square metres, it’s the largest administrative building in the world, intended as a residence, and despite containing reception halls, museums and government offices and the parliament hall, is still almost three quarters empty.

The palace was raised at an enormous cost, in terms of money but also lives, as thousands of people are claimed to have died during its construction in the second half of the 1980s.

The palace was the focal point of Ceaușescu’s pompous redesign of Bucharest following an earthquake in 1977, and had eight subterranean levels, at the bottom of which was a nuclear bunker.

You have to go in to gauge the full, stupefying size of this building, paying a visit to the Museum of the Palace, Museum of Communist Totalitarianism and the National Museum of Contemporary Art.

3. Romanian Athenaeum

A performance venue extraordinaire, the Neoclassical Romanian Athenaeum is the home of the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra.

Wrapped in gardens, this magnificent structure was completed in 1888 and given a thorough restoration to save it from collapse in 1992. Under a grand dome embellished with gilded stuccowork, the circular concert hall seats more than 650 and has an epic fresco on its frieze that depicts the most pivotal events in Romanian history.

For an affordable night of Haydn, Bach or Mozart, book online and pick up tickets from the box office.

Be here in September for the George Enescu Festival, when there’s a busy programme of performances and one of Eastern Europe’s biggest classical events.

4. Lipscani (Old Town)

A hint of what Bucharest looked like before the Second World War, Lipscani was the place to do business in the city between the Middle Ages and the 1800s.

Some of the street names still recall the guilds that were once based along them: Blănari (Furriers’ Street) or Șelari (Saddlers’ Street). This small pocket was one of the only parts of Bucharest to be retrievable after the Second World War and has been reborn as a stylish pedestrian zone that has boutiques, restaurants and bars in restored buildings.

Look for Pasajul Macca-Vilacrosse on the west side, a fork-shaped shopping passage from 1891 lit by yellow stained glass in its roof.

Recommended tour : Bucharest Old Town 2.5-Hour Private Walking Tour

5. Romanian Peasant Museum

First opened in 1906, the history of this highly-regarded folk museum was interrupted in the 20th century by the Communist regime, but it reopened in 1990 no more than six weeks after Ceaușescu died.

In those intervening years it had been a museum to communism, and you can still view a small exhibition on collectivisation in the basement preserved for posterity.

The remainder is dedicated to the history and culture of the Romanian countryside, summing up 400 years and presenting a jaw-dropping diversity of costume, furniture, religious objects and ceramics.

There’s also an entire wooden house (The House in the House), brought here from Gorj County in the southwest of the country.

6. Herăstrău Park

The largest park in Bucharest borders the city to the north, and much of its area is taken up by the 74-hectare Herăstrău Lake.

On the Colentina River, this large body of water is partly man-made having been formed when riverside marshes were drained in the 1930s.

The lake has a six-kilometre perimeter path favoured by joggers in summer, and in this season you can rent a bike near the main entrance or take a boat trip from the jetty on the south shore.

On foot take a detour through the Insula Trandafirilor (Rose Island), down the lime tree avenues and into the Japanese Garden, planted with cherry trees that bloom in early spring.

7. Stavropoleos Church

Arguably the finest religious building in Bucharest, Stavropoleos Church has a gorgeous facade that has multifoil arches painted with arabesque foliate and tendril patterns and held up by beautiful capitals.

Above are painted medallions of saints, and there’s much more painting inside in the form of stone frescoes and a breathtaking iconostasis.

The church dates to the 1720s and its architecture is a perfect expression of Romania’s Brâncovenesc style, which blended Byzantine, Ottoman, Renaissance and Baroque elements.

Right next door is an early 20th century building housing religious art like icons and frescoes from the many churches that were pulled down during the communist regime after the Second World War.

8. National Museum of Art of Romania

After King Michael I abdicated following the Second World War, the Neoclassical Royal Palace on Revolution Square has been the headquarters of Romania’s National Museum of Art.

The collections were damaged during the revolution in 1989, but there’s still a feast for art lovers in galleries for European Art, Romanian Medieval Art and Modern Romanian Art.

The European section has many big names like Lucas Cranach the Elder, Jan van Eyck, El Greco, Tintoretto, Peter Paul Rubens, Monet and Sisley.

Also be sure to get acquainted with some Romanian artists like the Post-Impressionists Nicolae Tonitza and Ștefan Luchian, and the surrealist Victor Brauner.

9. Dealul Mitropoliei

South of Union Square is a small rise where Romania’s Orthodox religious institutions can be found in eye-catching buildings.

The Romanian Patriarchal Cathedral is one, and we’ll cover that next.

But this stands in an ensemble with the Palace of the Patriarchate, with its striking Ionic columns.

For 90 years from its completion in 1907 the palace was the seat of successive Romanian parliaments, from the Assembly of Deputies during the monarchy, through the Communist Great National Assembly to the Chamber of Deputies after the 1989 Revolution.

The hill is a sight to behold at Palm Sunday and Easter (Pascha), when it is packed with worshippers, a tradition that even continued under communist regime.

10. Romanian Patriarchal Cathedral

The destination for a pilgrimage on Palm Sunday, the Patriarchal Cathedral was founded by the Prince of Wallachia, Constantin Șerban in the 1650s.

The building has come through restorations in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, so not much of the original remains, while the current design is based on Curtea de Argeș Cathedral in the centre of the country.

The church also holds the relics of the 13th-century Saint Dimitrie Basarabov, the patron saint of Bucharest.

His remains were brought here from Bulgaria in 1774 and are kept in a silver reliquary with a glass panel on top.

11. Revolution Square

The setting for all sorts of Romanian institutions, Revolution Square got its name from the violent unrest in 1989 that deposed Nicolae Ceaușescu and overthrew the Socialist Republic of Romania.

An interesting building to ponder for a moment is the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

This was built as the Central Committee of the Romanian Communist Party, and in 1989 Ceaușescu and his wife Elena fled by helicopter from the roof before eventually being tried and executed on Christmas day of that year.

Another landmark event took place here twenty years earlier when Ceaușescu announced Romania’s policy of independence from the Kremlin after condemning the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia.

That speech marked the height of his popularity.

12. Palatul Primăverii (Spring Palace)

Not far from the Herăstrău Park in the plush Primăverii neighbourhood is a compelling slice of 20th-century Romanian history.

With tours available by booking a day in advance, the Palatul Primăverii was the gaudy residence for the notorious dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu.

This 80-room palace was built in the 1960s, and came with a winter garden, wine cellar, silk wallpaper, valuable art, expensive furniture, a large swimming pool, bathrooms with solid gold fittings and even a cinema.

Among the world leaders received here was Richard Nixon, who had tea with Ceaușescu at the palace in 1969.

13. Grigore Antipa Museum of Natural History

Named after the man who was in charge for more than 50 years at the start of the 20th century, this natural history museum was given a big update a few years back and reopened in 2011. Multimedia and interactive exhibits now go hand-in-hand with the classic dinosaur skeletons, taxidermies and dioramas, many of which were first set up by Antipa decades ago.

In the basement there’s a comprehensive exhibition on the biodiversity of Romania, while the ground floor deals with all the major ecosystems on the earth’s surface.

From there you can head off and indulge your curiosity in fields like mineralogy, entomology, marine biology and anthropology.

14. Cismigiu Gardens

The oldest recreation space in the centre of Bucharest, Cismigiu Gardens took shape in the middle of the 19th century and were laid out by German landscape architect Carl Meyer.

On what used to be a lakeside vineyard, he planted thousands of tree and plant species sourced from Vienna’s botanical gardens and Romania’s upland regions.

The lake itself can be navigated by rowboat in the summer, and if it freezes over in winter it’s possible to go skating on its surface.

The Rondul Român is a memorial garden, with busts of Romania’s 12 best-loved writers, while there are also separate monuments to the French soldiers who died in Romania in First World War, and Americans who died in the country in the Second World War.

15. Cotroceni Palace

Raised in 1895 for Romania’s first king, Carol I, Cotroceni Palace is on a hill that had long been a place of residence for Romania’s rulers.

Following the abdication of the last king, Michael I in 1947, the property was used to receive visiting heads of state.

And since the return of democracy the palace has become the official residence of the President of Romania.

The oldest wing of the building is open to the public as the National Cotroceni Museum, showing off the splendour of the library, apartments and reception rooms, together with a mammoth collection of painting, sculpture, ceramics, graphic arts, furniture, textiles and glassware.

Many of these items were the personal collections of Queen Marie of Romania and King Ferdinand I at the turn of the 20th century.

16. Museum of Art Collections

An arm of the National Museum of Art, this museum is in the Palatul Romanit, which goes back to 1822 and was a private home before eventually becoming Romania’s Ministry of Finance.

After the end of the Second World War and the communist takeover, the building became a repository for art seized from Romania’s wealthy families.

There are 44 collections in all, giving you a who’s who of Romanian art from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Some of the lauded artists featured are Theodor Aman, Nicolae Grigorescu, Nicolae Tonitza, Gheorghe Petrașcu and Theodor Pallady.

Also fascinating, if a little poignant, is the lapidarium, with fragments of architecture from sites like the Văcărești Monastery, pulled down by Ceaușescu in 1986.

17. Calea Victoriei

It’s a sign of this street’s history and prestige that many of the attractions and landmarks on this list are located on its route.

Beginning at Revolution Square in the north Calea Victoriei continues all the way down to the Dâmbovița River, and after a fallow period during the Socialist Republic is a posh shopping and entertainment street traced by cafes, fashion emporia, restaurants, cultural venues and art galleries.

These are mostly set on the southern end, while the northern reaches are for stately residences.

Calea Victoriei’s upmarket reputation has persisted for hundreds of years, partly because it was one of the only paved streets in the city (at first the road was covered with wooden planks), sparing its wealthier citizens from the mud that dominated the rest of the city in autumn and spring.

18. Botanical Gardens

With 5,000 plant species in 17 hectares, the Botanical Gardens are maintained by the University of Bucharest.

You can enter for a small fee, and pay a little extra to go inside the greenhouses like the Sera Veche, which reopened 2011 after being closed for 35 years.

This structure was built at the start of the 1890s and inside is a small world of tropical and sub-tropical vegetation.

In the open air are ponds and winding paths guiding you to a rose garden and a glorious display of some 1,000 exotic flowers in summer.

19. Bucharest Russian Church

Also known as the Students’ Church as it is used by students and professors at the University of Bucharest, this church was constructed after a sizeable donation by Tsar Nicholas II. At the start of the 20th century the congregation was solely Russian expats and diplomats.

The project was led by the Russian ambassador and the church was consecrated in 1909. It’s an easy building to spot for its seven onion domes in the typical Russian orthodox style.

Duck inside to check out the frescoes and the gilded wooden iconostasis, based on the example at the Church of the Twelve Apostles in the Kremlin.

20. Arcul de Triumf

Near the Japanese Gardens beside Herăstrău Park, this monument dates to 1936 to commemorate both the Romanian War of Independence and the First World War.

The arch is at the same location as an earlier wooden version built in haste to celebrate victory in the War of Independence when the nation broke from the Ottoman Empire in 1878. This was replaced by another wooden arch after the First World War, while the current monument has reliefs carved by Constantin Baraschi, the foremost Romanian sculptor of the 1930s.

There’s a platform on the roof that you can reach on special days, but the rest of the time it’s a sight to admire from the other side of a very busy roundabout.

In Lipscani, the Cultural Centre of the Bucharest Municipality is a building you need to see if you have an eye for Art Deco architecture.

Completed in 1934, this is typical of the Art Deco wonders that went up in the city during the interwar period, and was intended as a recreational venue for the Bucharest City Hall Civil Servants’ Union.

Since 1996 the building has been a cultural centre, putting on more than 200 events a year by artists not supported by traditional cultural institutions.

You can see the interior by attending one of the concerts at the 320-seat auditorium accessed by an elegant staircase from an entrance hall with parquet floors.

22. George Enescu National Museum

One of the loveliest properties in Bucharest is the Beax-Arts/Art Nouveau palace conceived for the Prime Minister Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino in the early 1900s.

From the street the elements you’ll notice is the exaggerated iron and glass entrance canopy and the dormers in the mansard roof.

The building has an oblique connection to Romania’s celebrated composer George Enescu, as Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino’s son was initially married to Enescu’s future wife, who then remarried the composer after he passed away.

Since 1956 there has been a small museum devoted to Enescu in a few rooms in the palace, with personal possessions, instruments, posters and photographs.

23. Doamnei Church

Bucharest has many hidden churches that disappeared from the street-fronts during Nicolae Ceaușescu’s radical overhaul of the city in the 1980s.

One such building is the Doamnei Church, now nestled in a courtyard at the junction of Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta and Calea Victoriei.

This was founded in 1683 by Maria Doamna, the second wife of Wallachian Prince Șerban Cantacuzino, as a chapel for their princely residence.

The fresco inside is original, dating to the 17th century, but the high point is the entrance with ornate carvings on its wooden door and stone portal.

See also the column capitals in front, which have Oriental floral motifs.

24. National Museum of Romanian History

The Historicist building that used to be the headquarters for Romania’s postal service has hosted the National History Museum since the 1970s.

The collection is mixed, but still contains lots of interesting things if you’re willing to put in the time.

One is a complete reproduction of the frieze on Trajan’s column in Rome.

Also worthwhile is the Pietroasele Treasure made up of 12 Gothic gold objects from the Chernyakhov culture crafted at the end of the 4th century.

And lastly there’s the Romanian treasury in the basement, with precious stones worn by Marie of Romania (Granddaughter of Queen Victoria), as well as the Crown Jewels, among which are sceptres, crowns and ceremonial swords.

25. Manuc’s Inn

A place of real meaning, not just because it is one of the oldest buildings in the city, but because it is one of Europe’s final caravanserais (khans). Manuc’s Inn was set up by the Armenian Merchant Manuc Bei in 1802 with the classic format of a large central courtyard around two levels of wooden galleries with rooms for lodging, dining and storing goods.

In the first half of the 19th century this was Bucharest’s business hub and after several restorations, the most recent at the end of the noughties, the essential structure remains intact as a restaurant.

On the southern edge of the Old Town, Manuc’s Inn cooks traditional Romanian and Balkan cuisine accompanied by music and folk dance in the evenings.

25 Best Things to Do in Bucharest (Romania):

• Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum
• Parliamentary Palace
• Romanian Athenaeum
• Lipscani (Old Town)
• Romanian Peasant Museum
• Herăstrău Park
• Stavropoleos Church
• National Museum of Art of Romania
• Dealul Mitropoliei
• Romanian Patriarchal Cathedral
• Revolution Square
• Palatul Primăverii (Spring Palace)
• Grigore Antipa Museum of Natural History
• Cismigiu Gardens
• Cotroceni Palace
• Museum of Art Collections
• Calea Victoriei
• Botanical Gardens
• Bucharest Russian Church
• Arcul de Triumf
• George Enescu National Museum
• Doamnei Church
• National Museum of Romanian History
• Manuc's Inn

2024 FULL Bucharest Travel Guide: what to do, places to visit, day trips, going out & more!

Why visit Bucharest? Because Romania’s capital will surprise you with its rich history and multiple personalities: a Balkan vibe with Oriental influences, French-inspired beautiful buildings, megalomanic communist architecture, huge green spaces, and now a thriving Western-inspired city with Latin blood in its people.

Bucharest is an eclectic city - and that's the top reason why you should visit in 2024!

This made by locals guide updated in January 2024 will help you find out what to do in Bucharest, which places to visit, top tourist attractions, day trip ideas, where to go out, and practical info about public transport.

You'll find 50+ ideas for the very best things to do in Bucharest and unique tours and day trips we created so you have a great time on your holiday - so get ready!

Table of contents

Intro: Bucharest at a glance

Landmarks in bucharest, 1. take a walk on calea victoriei, 2. admire the george enescu museum, 3. visit the romanian athenaeum, a cultural landmark, 4. get royal at the national museum of art, 5. a first step into romanian history at the statue of king carol i, 6. take a look at bucharest’s weirdest statue, the rebirth memorial, 7. step into communist history at the former communist party headquarters, 8. admire the art deco architecture at the odeon theater, 9. visit one of the oldest buildings in bucharest, casa capsa, 10. take a look at the national military circle, 11. take a walk through the beautiful macca-vilacrosse passage, 12. admire cec palace, 13. learn about the dacians at the national museum of romanian history, landmarks in bucharest old town, 14. visit the old princely court ruins, 15. step into romanian traditions at hanu’ lui manuc, 16. discover the unique romanian architecture at stavropoleos church, 17. check out the impressive national bank of romania, 18. feel the atmosphere on lipscani street, 19. visit the beautiful carturesti carusel library, 20. visit one of the oldest restaurants in the country: caru’ cu bere, what to visit in bucharest: tourist attractions, museums, and more, 21. palace of the parliament: bucharest’s top tourist attraction, 22. step into ceausescu’s villa, 23. visit the national museum of contemporary art, 24. a museum for the whole family: grigore antipa natural history museum, 25. make a stop at the museum of art collections, 26. explore traditional romanian houses at bucharest village museum, 27. discover romanian rural culture at dimitrie gusti national village museum, 28. challenge your perception at the museum of senses, 29. visit the special museum of romanian records, 30. look at the stars at the astronomic observatory vasile urseanu, 31. discover the 1920s bucharest at the little paris museum, 32. be a scientist at the romanian science experiment museum, 33. step into a communist apartment.

• Things to do in Bucharest: sightseeing, history, culture & local life

34. Check out the Romanian Arch of Triumph

35. go for a walking tour around soseaua kisselef, aviatorilor, and calea dorobanti, 36. get lost in the cotroceni neighbourhood, 37. discover bucharest street art, gentrification, and local culture, 38. relax in cismigiu park, 39. admire the parliament building from izvor park, 40. go to the ww i memorial at carol park.

• 41. Take a walk in Bucharest's biggest park, Herastrau Park

42. Go to the vibrant Tineretului Park

43. natural diversity in the heart of bucharest: delta vacaresti.

• Day trips & tours from Bucharest

44. Go on a Transylvania tour from Bucharest

45. discover the impressive transfagarasan highway, 46. visit the romanian coast, 47. discover a unique place: the danube delta, 48. take on your hiking boots and discover the romanian mountains, 49. taste the romanian wine in the dealu mare region.

• 50. Connect with the locals at Obor Farmer's Market

Explore Bucharest by bike, starting in Piata Victoriei

Where to go out in bucharest: restaurants, coffee shops, and bars, bucharest nightlife the best in europe.

• Budget, transport & safety in Bucharest

Where to stay in Bucharest

Before we start, I want to be honest with you: Bucharest doesn't have a good reputation as a tourist destination, and here's why:

• like all of Romania, there's no official tourist identity or strategy so tourists don't have a good reason why they should visit in the first place, even for a short time!
• local authorities don't support, invest, or promote local tourism, so it's up to locals with limited resources and fragmented impact to do this
• most tourists rely on foreign travel bloggers, guides, and the typical TripAdvisor "best places to visit" when planning their visit, so they don't really discover what makes Bucharest interesting and worth visiting
• before 2015 there were some reports about foreign tourists getting scammed by Bucharest taxis and at the airport (no longer an issue) which created a bad reputation for the city; that's no longer the case, and we covered this in our safety section at the end of this guide

And that's why some people avoid visiting Bucharest altogether or plan to spend one day at most before going to Brasov and other parts of the country.

Which is a shame... Though it may seem rough around the edges, the capital city of Romania has something to offer to all types of travelers, especially those looking for an off-the-beaten path non-touristy experience.

So besides the typical tourist attractions and places to visit such as the Palace of Parliament and the Old Town area, in this guide, we'll tell you about many lesser-known things to do in Bucharest and how to have a great time visiting Romania's capital.

Because Bucharest is full of glaring, sometimes absurd contrasts and not your typical Western capital where everything is neat and clean, by the book. Some people don't enjoy these urban jungles. Others - like me - do! But, as they say, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder :)

• Local tip: Bucharest is not flooded with tourist hoards like other capitals in Eastern Europe. Prices are not too high either and there are no 'big bus' style tours (except for Dracula Castle day trips - the only thing heavily touristified in our country). So you can have an amazing holiday with great value for money!

Also - the Romanian capital has A LOT of cool places to go out with many hipster cafes, trendy bars, chic restaurants, fine-dining spots (for very good prices!), urban gardens and skybars.

And - most importantly - Romanian people are welcoming and eager to show you a good time! If this is your first time, check our guide on how to visit Romania with more practical info.

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Just like any other capital, Bucharest has a list of top places to visit and famous landmarks, which we will discuss in detail in the following sections. Thanks to its long and wide boulevards the best way to see Bucharest landmarks is to go on a long walk from the Northern Piata Victoriei (Victory Square) to the Southern Piata Unirii (Union Square) or Piata Parlamentului (Parliament Square) - or in reverse.

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Calea Victoriei (Victory Boulevard) is the main pedestrian artery that connects the major two poles of our city. With a length of 2,7 km and lots of photo stops, high end shops as well as local, vintage ones, coffee shops and snacks boutiques - this will be a 1-2h walk.

Dating from 1692, this boulevard has always been the beating heart of the city and lots of historical events took place here. It's where major Romanian figures, politicians and 'who's who' in our history lived.

That's why you'll see many of Bucharest most famous landmarks, tourist attractions and impressive Romanian buildings here -without having to check Google Maps every 10 min :)

• Local tip: during Summer weekends Calea Victoriei is closed for cars and turns into a huge pedestrian area. Locals love going on long walks, stopping for ice cream, coffee, or a drink. Lots of street events take place here too, so watch out!

If you start your walking tour of Victory Boulevard from the North (from the metro station), one of the first landmarks you'll come across is the George Enescu Museum. This is where our country's most famous classical compose, George Enescu, lived. His work blends classical music with traditional Romanian folk sounds, motifs and instruments. Check out one of his most famous works:

Every year in September the George Enescu International Music Festival takes places in his honour in Bucharest. Orchestras from all over the world concert in the city and classical music fans rejoice.

Romanian Athenaeum: more than a concert hall, a landmark of historical significance

The Romanian Athenaeum is Bucharest's most emblematic cultural landmark and concert hall. The building has a lot of significance for Romanian history and is spectacular on the inside, which is why you should visit .

While on Victory Avenue and just across the Romanian Athenaeum you'll see the former Royal Palace, which now hosts the National Museum of Art of Romania. Besides the art collections, the museum of the palace is worth visiting too.

Opposite the National Museum of Art, you'll notice the statue of King Carol I the first king of Romania and a significant figure in our history. The bronze statue weighs 13 tons and stands at a total height of 13 meters, with the actual statue measuring 7 meters and the plinth 6 meters.

Revolution Square known as Palace Square before the 1989 Romanian revolution

By now you probably noticed the weird-looking statue that looks like an impaled potato as locals call it. That's the Rebirth Memorial in Revolution Square where the 1989 anti-communist revolution took place.

The massive building behind the Rebirth Memorial was the Romanian Communist Party headquarters.

From its balcony dictator Nicolae Ceausescu made his last speech on 21 December when people started booing him - to his incredible disbelief captured on video. This is where the violent 1989 Romanian revolution started in Bucharest (it first started on 16 Dec in Timisioara).

Continuing down South on Calea Victoriei, you will see Odeon Theater on the left, a cosy contemporary art deco building fit for the modern, avant-garde plays it hosts.

On Calea Victoriei, you can also see one of the oldest historical buildings in Bucharest, Casa Capsa (Hotel Capsa), built in the mid-19th century. This is one of the most famous hotels in Bucharest and a walk through its lobby is worth it.

It's also said to have the best pastry shop in town - as you pass the building make a left on the side street and look for the sign.

Where Calea Victoriei crosses Elisabeth Boulevard leading down to Cismigiu Gardens, you'll come across the impressive Palace of the National Military Circle.

Built in 1911 in the French neoclassical style, this building is now recognized as both a historical and architectural monument, and there's a small military museum you can visit on its left side.

Further down on Calea Victoriei you'll come across the late 19th century Macca-Vilacrosse Passage which connects this thoroughfare with Bucharest Old Town.

Inside the passage you'll find lots of sisha cafes and restaurants - and don't forget to look up and see the glass ceiling.

CEC Palace, one of the most beautiful buildings in Bucharest, epitomizes the city's Little Paris identity with its impressive eclectic architecture.

Crowned by a glass and metal dome, the entrance showcases an arch supported by composite-style columns. Sadly, this one can't be visited, but you can still gaze at it from the street.

The impressive National Museum of Romanian History is one of the best places to learn about our ancestors, the Dacians, who settled these lands before they were conquered by the Romans. You'll also see 2,000-year-old gold bracelets made by them ***

Bucharest Old Town is a pedestrian area in the city centre between Piata Universitatii, Piata Unirii and Calea Victoriei. It's filled with old buildings (obviously!) some restored, others not so much, and cobblestone streets.

• Local tip: contrary to what most foreign travel bloggers and guides will tell you, this is not the place to discover the Little Paris side of Bucharest; keep reading to find out the best place for that!

Over 120 bars, coffee shops, and restaurants are here so this central location is known as the hotspot for Bucharest nightlife.

This is not a place for shopping and because of the constant noise and agitation it's not a great place to stay either. There are a few hotels in the area such as Hilton Garden Inn or Europa Royale - but they're very expensive and mostly filled with tourists who think they're staying in the city centre.

Curtea Veche or the Old Princely Court was built as a palace or residence in 1459. This was the seat of power for the ruling princes of Wallachia, including Vlad the Impaler, also known as Vlad Dracula, who built it and whose statue you'll find nearby.

The nearby Hanu’ lui Manuc (Manuc's Inn) is one of the oldest historic buildings in the city with its impressive courtyard and very good traditional Romanian restaurant.

It always functioned as an inn for locals, travelers and merchants passing the city and with business at the Old Court, and legends have it this is where most deals and political decisions were made.

Stavropoleus Church, the oldest church in the Old Town

Stavropoleos Church is built in the unique Romanian architectural style known as Brancovenesc or Wallachian Renaissance and is one of the historic sites of Bucharest.

It has special features like covered balconies with columns carved in flower designs, detailed door and window frames, and the use of columns inside. Go inside - just remember to be respectful!

The National Bank of Romania building is another architectural landmark worth spending a few minutes on. With its imposing Reinassance architecture dating from the end of the 19th century, the building is like a fortress.

Unfortunately, you can only admire it from the outside.

Lipscani Street is not an attraction per se - it's just the most popular street in the Old Town. It used to be filled with the finest merchant shops and artisan workshops from all over the country. During the communist regime they were all shut down as they were seen as luxury items, and then the buildings were abandoned and went derelict.

By 2010 this forgotten area was slowly renovated and bars and restaurants started opening here. Gradually it became the favoured going out spot for locals and at night it turns into a real party center.

The Carturesti Carusel library is on Lipscani Street, and is one of the most beautiful bookstores in the country and possibly in Europe.

The building was the headquarters of a bank but it's now a great place for book lovers.

Caru cu Bere restaurant is one of the oldest and most authentic in the country. Here, you can savor the tastiest Romanian traditional dishes and enjoy a beer crafted from a unique, original recipe dating back to 1879.

Bucharest extends far beyond the Old Center and Calea Victoriei, which, though popular among tourists, represent only a fraction of the city's complexity. To truly grasp the diverse facets of Bucharest, exploring other landmarks is essential.

When thinking about Bucharest, the massive Palace of the Parliament (with its many aliases: Ceausescu Palace, House of People, House of Parliament, Parliament Palace) probably comes to mind as one of the grand buildings of the Romanian capital city.

It’s the heaviest building in the world and the second-largest administrative building after the Pentagon in the US with a surface of 365.000 square meters! And probably the most famous landmark in Bucharest.

Why tour the Romanian Parliament building? Because you’ll get to see what communist megalomania and opulence can do - and the price people paid to satisfy a dictator’s whims at a time of food and basic supply shortages. A painful reminder for most Romanians...

The massive exterior may look uninspiring but the interior was lavishly decorated with premium materials of 100% Romanian origin: 1 million square meters of marble, a 3t carpet, and a 5t crystal chandelier among others.

As one of the top things to visit in Bucharest but also an administrative building - a parliamentary palace! - it’s important to plan your visit in advance.

• Local tip: visits to the Palace are led by an official tour guide who talks about the building without saying anything about Romania's communist past, Nicolae Ceausescu, or the 1989 Romanian revolution; so if you're interested in learning more about that you'll need to go on a private, communist-themed tour with a specialist local guide.

Complete Bucharest Communism Tour: Palace of Parliament & Ceausescu's Home

Start from: Bucharest

Ceausescu's Villa (where he lived) is another tourist attraction that you can visit. This is one of the best places to see the huge discrepancy between the dictator's luxurious lifestyle while the Romanian people were queuing for basic foods and necessities in the '80s...

• Bucharest museums: the classics & cool

As the capital of Romania, Bucharest has the standard collection of national museums - and they’re very good and a nice thing to do if you have a particular interest in their subject or the weather is not great for an outdoor free walking tour.

The National Museum of Contemporary Art is located in a new glass wing of the Palace of the Parliament. The museum presents four floors of exhibitions and events throughout the year. At the top, you'll find an observation point with panoramic views of Bucharest.

Grigore Antipa Natural History Museum has reconstructed dinosaur models that children will love, so that's a fun thing for families to do.

The Museum of Art Collections is on Calea Victoriei just before the Romanian Athenaeum concert hall and is among the best places for art connoisseurs to visit.

My favorite place to visit is the Bucharest Village Museum because of its unique character: an open-air museum where you can find over 60 real-size replicas of traditional Romanian village houses from 36 regions and parts of the country.

The Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum regularly hosts exhibitions and events to promote Romanian rural culture. It will give you a taste of what the famous Romanian countryside looks like especially if you're not spending a long time in our country on this occasion :) Bucharest also has of the most unconventional and interesting museums in Romania .

The Museum of Senses is a quirky and very cool experience with optical illusions. This is a great place for both kids and adults.

The Museum of Records hosts world-record collections of peculiar items. It lets you explore forgotten parts of human history and see how clever people were at different points in time.

The Astronomic Observatory Vasile Urseanu will thrill kids and passionate astronomers. Here, you can visit a permanent exhibition but also look at the stars and planets through a telescope.

The Little Paris Museum will help you understand why Bucharest was once called Little Paris, and get a glimpse of life in the capital in the 1920s.

The Romanian Science Experiment Museum is a wonderful destination for both kids and adults, where you need to press buttons, pull levers and make things work.

In Romania’s capital you’ll also find a communist apartment from the 1970s turned into a time-capsule museum. A typical Romanian worker family lived here and the apartment is preserved in its original state with objects, decorations, and food from past times. This is probably the best place to understand what life was like during the Romanian communist regime.

Museum of Communism: A Time-Capsule of Ordinary Lives

Things to do in Bucharest: sightseeing, history, culture & local life

We're done with classical tourist sightseeing - so let's see some of the lesser known, thematic things to do in Bucharest so you have a good time.

• Romanian history and Bucharest landmarks

The three historical provinces that make up Romania (Wallachia, Moldova, and Transylvania) each had their capital (Bucharest, Iasi, and Transylvania), political life, culture, and powerful families. But the Romanian dream was always to unite in one state.

This happened in 1859 when the first two united and in 1918 Transylvania joined. However, not all Romanians are happy about Bucharest being their capital or see it as representative of Romanian national identity and culture.

That's why knowing a bit of Romanian history will give you more context about the tourist landmarks and historic buildings in Bucharest.

Essential Walking Tour of Bucharest: Old Town & Revolution Square

• Bucharest Little Paris and Belle Époque architecture

In the early 1900s Bucharest earned its nickname of Little Paris thanks to French-inspired Belle Époque buildings, monuments, and beautiful architecture.

That's because most of the Romanian aristocracy, rich businessmen, and major cultural figures from the 18th-20th century were educated in France and inspired by the culture and life there.

This made Bucharest unique in Eastern Europe, unlike other European capitals in the region such as Sofia, Budapest, or Belgrade. The rich history of Bucharest and its architecture Belle Epoque architecture was significantly influenced by this.

So if you think Bucharest doesn't have nice places to visit you couldn't be more wrong! There are entire neighborhoods and streets where you'll find a unique blend of architectural styles made even more charming with time.

The "Little Paris" Bucharest: Architecture, Old Houses & Bourgeois Stories

Start from: University Square

Bucharest is very popular for its rich blend of historical (neo-classical), interbellum (Bauhaus and Art Deco), communist, and modern architecture mix. Many of the city's best hotels, companies, or best restaurants occupy some incredible buildings - monuments of architecture.

The Arch of Triumph (Arcul de Triumf) is a WW I memorial monument, though smaller than the French version, is proof of this cultural affinity. If you are in Romania on December 1st or November 24th, you can watch the military parade here.

Cotroceni neighbourhood, one of the most beautiful in Bucharest

Just go for a walking tour aka get lost in the area between Soseaua Kisselef, Aviatorilor Boulevard, and Calea Dorobanti to understand the Bucharest’s beautiful blend of cultures. Also around Gradina Icoanei Park. Unfortunately these are not tourist attractions per se so without a local tour guide to take you deep into the neighbourhoods and show you around, it will be hard for you to find these spots on your own.

The Cotroceni neighbourhood is known for its superb eclectic architecture, the botanical garden, and beautiful buildings.

Visit a typical communist apartment in Bucharest turned time-capsule museum

• Communist Bucharest: forced transformation

Bucharest bourgeois identity was literally demolished and transformed during the Romanian communist regime which ruled from 1944-1989 (Romania was not part of the USSR!).

But besides the ideological agenda, dictator Nicolae Ceausescu who came to power in 1965 and ruled for 25 years (making him one of the most famous Romanians ) had bigger ambitions...

Driven by megalomanic dreams, a personality cult, and absurd realities, Ceausescu brutally changed Romanian society and turned Bucharest into an experiment for his idealistic communist vision. So:

• an entire neighbourhood was demolished to make way for the Palace of Parliament
• wide boulevards such as Unirii, Magheru, and Aviatorilor were built (and there's a specific reason for that!)
• churches were literally moved or 'hidden' by apartment buildings
• entire worker neighbourhoods were built from scratch to house factory workers relocated here from the rest of the country

And much more. Bucharest was painfully transformed with significant consequences not just for its architecture, but also for its culture and local life.

Untold Stories of Bucharest: Prostitution, Holocaust and Communist Terror

Start from: Piata Romana (Romana Square)

All over the city there are signs of this transformation. One of our specialist communist tour guides will show them to you on a walking tour, including pictures from old times, and tell you more about life back then.

Communist Walking Tour: History, Megalomania & Hidden Sights

Start from: Revolution Square next to the Rebirth Memorial (The patatoe)

After the Little Paris years, the communist transformation and the Western re-vitalisation - many parts of Bucharest started showing glaring contrasts. A vibrant and exotic street art showed up to cover the uglier parts of the city, especially in the local neighbourhoods where foreign tourists don't venture and locals rarely go.

Bucharest Street Art & Architecture Tour

This is the reason why one of the best things to do in Bucharest is to go off-the-beaten path and explore local life beyond the top attractions and tourist hotspots.

the famous Bucharest 3D iMapp competition There are also lots of events going on - check online or ask a local when you're here. Various exhibitions, sports competitions, street food or art fairs happen throughout the year, usually in front of the Romanian Athenaeum, in Piata Universitatii, or on Calea Victoriei.

• Relax in Bucharest’s many green spaces

If you’re getting tired of so much urban exploring, many beautiful parks in Bucharest will help you disconnect from the hustle and bustle of the city.

The most beautiful park in the center of Bucharest is Cismigiu Park on Regina Elisabeta Boulevard. It's sometimes called Cismigiu Gardens because it has many areas with different interests, sights, and cultural significance - so this is a perfect place to take a break from your walking tour of the city!

*Izvor Park*, a relatively small park, is another great place to relax and admire the massive Parliament Building. Here, you can enjoy a short walk in a relaxed setting.

Carol Park has another WW I memorial on a hill with great views. Here, many locals gather to engage in sports activities on the stairs leading to the memorial.

41. Take a walk in Bucharest's biggest park, Herastrau Park

King Michael I park (formerly Herăstrău Park) is the largest park in the city and also the largest park located inside a city in Europe. Spanning 187 hectares, the park has various sections. One favorite spot is the Japanese Garden, known for its beautiful cherry blossoms and Japanese acacia trees with hanging branches.

Tineretului Park is another popular park in Bucharest with a pretty big lake, perfect for a jog, or bike ride, and the right place for renting a boat.

The newest addition to this list of green spaces in Romania's capital is Delta Vacaresti. In the South Eastern part of the city a large area was cleared by the communist regime for a major project - later abandoned!

Over time, Mother Nature reclaimed this area and turned it into a wonderful natural biosphere: a huge park more like a wetland where many species of plants, birds, and small animals now live!

In 2016, Vacaresti Natural Park was granted protected status by law. This is a unique open-air museum of natural diversity in the heart of a European capital and a great place to visit (best time is from April - October) if you want to combine urban sightseeing with nature.

Vacaresti Natural Park: the Newest Urban Delta

• Pro tip: most young people speak good English, are friendly and helpful, especially in the city hotspots, so you don't have to worry about getting lost in translation

Day trips & tours from Bucharest

Bucharest is a great place to tick off some of the best things to do in Romania . With our network of specialist tour guides we can organise any kind of trip for you - so contact us we're happy to help!

Contrary to what most people think - going on a day trip to visit Peles Castle, Brasov and Bran Castle (the most popular day trip in Bucharest) does NOT mean you visited Transylvania. The region is huge with a history and culture that can't be experienced in one day. Read our blog on how to visit Transylvania for more.

That's why we created a unique 3-day best of Transylvania tour that will give you an authentic experience of this popular tourist region of Romania.

The famous Transfagarasan Highway can also be seen from Bucharest and the best time for that is July - October when the road is open for driving.

Road trip to Poenari Castle & Transfagarasan Highway

Another popular day trip is to the Romanian Black Sea and the city of *Constanta*. So, if you love spending time on the beach, Constanta is a must while in Romania.

The Black Sea Calling: Day Trip to Constanta & Mamaia Beach

If you want to visit a unique place, the UNESCO Danube Delta reserve is what you are looking for. To visit the Danube Delta, you need to get to Tulcea (4h away from Bucharest, possibly only by car). From there you'll enter the Delta through a boat ride, so you need a minimum of 2-3 days to see its beauty, birds, and fauna.

2-Day Danube Delta & Birdwatching Tour from Bucharest

You can also go hiking in the Romanian Mountains known for their wilderness and impressive heights of over 2,500m altitude. Bucegi Mountains are one of the most popular national parks in Romania . The Romanian Sphinx and Babele are major natural attractions tourists want to see when in Bucharest.

1 or 2 Day Hiking Trip in Bucegi Mountains: Sphinx, Babele, Omu Peak

Start from: Bucharest OR Brasov

But there are a lot more options for hiking day trips from Bucharest - check our guide on the best hikes in Romania .

Just 1,5h away from Bucharest, in the Dealu Mare region, you can find some of the country's best wineries. This is one of the best places to discover the long history and high quality of Romanian wines (#7th producer in the world!) with superb views too!

The Wine Tradition of Romania: Premium Wine Tasting in Dealu Mare

Check our full list of unique tours and hand-picked day trips in Bucharest so you have the best time in our country:

Tours & Day Trips in Bucharest

50. Connect with the locals at Obor Farmer's Market

If you're interested in traditional Romanian food and want a true cultural shock, head over to Obor farmer's market the largest and oldest in Romania where small farmers and everyone else sell their stuff. Or go on our tour with a local guide who will show you the best way to experience this:

Bucharest Street Food Tour: Farmers' Markets & Hidden Streets

Because of the wide boulevards and long distances in Romania's largest city, renting a bike is a great way to explore Bucharest. Calea Victoriei has a dedicated bike lane so traveling by bike makes everything easier and you get to see much more, especially in the beautiful Northern part of the city (Kisselef and Aviatorilor Boulevard, Herestrau Park, Arch of Triumph).

You can rent a bike on your own from a public docking station (check here ), or go on a guided tour by bike with one of our guides who will take care of everything so you can focus on enjoying the experience AND learn about Bucharest.

Panoramic Bike Tour of Bucharest

Start from: Bucharest - Hard Rock Cafe

After all these Bucharest attractions and tourist places you’ve visited, you’re probably hungry, looking for the best restaurants in Bucharest, a good coffee shop, or a nice place to go out in the evening. Best places to eat in Bucharest

Romania’s capital is a great - and affordable - place for a food-tasting getaway: lots of variety and international-inspired cuisine, cool places to eat with an inspiring design and fancy menus with a modern twist, fresh locally-sourced ingredients and great customer service. And there are lots of choices for all budget types.

It's hard for me to describe in words just how much Romanian people love to go out (part of our Latin blood!) and why Bucharest has a very diverse and high-quality offering. Here are some suggestions to get you started:

• Romanian traditional food: Zexe, Jaristea, La Mahala, Beca’s Kitchen, Maize (Romanian up-scale), La Copac, Lacrimi si Sfinti, City Grill, Vatra Neamului, Hanu’ lui Manuc, Caru cu Bere
• Italian (the nation’s favorite): Trattoria Don Vito, Grano, Il Peccato, Trattoria Fresca, SARA Restaurant
• British & Irish pub: The Harp, Trafalgar
• Lebanese (as there’s a minority living here): Piccolo Mondo, Zaitoone, Four Seasons, Al Mandaloun
• burger places (always cool): Burger van Bistro, Switch.eat, Vivo fusion bar
• steak houses: Osho, Prime Steaks & Seafood, VacaMuuu
• cool & urban places to eat (modern European): Energiea, Biutiful, Uanderful, Simbio, Lente, Alt Shift
• international fine dining: Joseph, Casa Doina, Stejarii Pool Club, Casa di David, Le Bistrot Francais, L’Atelier
• street food (shaorma - a must!): Calif, Divan, Dristor
• Local tip: vegetarians or vegans should not despair – there are plenty of delicious dishes thanks to Orthodox lent (fasting) periods; read our article on traditional Romanian food to find out more.

• Romanian beers and wine in Bucharest

First, you should know that Romanians enjoy drinking - a lot! In Southern Romania, most people prefer drinking beer (unlike in Transylvania). Local brands you should try Silva, Ciuc, or Ursus.

Craft beers have been on the rise recently with young looking for new tastes: Nenea Iancu, Zaganu, Hophead, Ground Zero, or Gambrinus. So beer bars have popped up and quickly became favorite places to go out for locals:

Bucharest Nightlife Tour: Craft Beer & Hip Bars

As for having a surprisingly good glass of Romanian wine in a nice setting - it’s one of the best things you can do in Bucharest! Try Corcova Rose at Entourage, Liliac White Young Fresh at Energiea, or Lacerta Cabernet Sauvignon & Shiraz at Corks Cozy Bar to get a sense of Romanian wines being damn fine! Domeniul Coroanei Segarcea or Prince Stirbey are also very good choices if you see them on the menu. Do not skip dessert and coffee shops in Bucharest

Since 2010, the specialty coffee culture BOOM-ed in Bucharest. So now you have lots of hispter, cosy, or inspiring coffee shops serving single or blended origin, on-the-spot roasted DELICIOUS coffee!

The most popular, old, and famous coffee shop is Origo, but you should also try Coftale, Beans&Dots, Steam, Orygyns, Two Minutes, Garage Cafe, T-Zero, On-Off, or The Coffee Factory. What’s a cortado or V60? Go and find out - and be sure to check our list with the best coffee shops in Bucharest to find out more. Fans of sweets and desserts should definitely consider papanasi (a traditional dish) at Stadio, éclairs at French Revolution, or profiteroles at Chocolat Boutique Ateneu – all of them are local businesses. Or just stop at any street pastry shop and ask for an apple pie (placinta cu mar) or cheese pie (placinta cu branza).

There are several reasons why the Bucharest nightlife is so good and famous - our article will tell you more and also the best bars and places to go out. Or maybe there's a Romanian music festival happening when you're visiting?

Suffice it to say that you should prepare for a long night out and dress well (shirts & skirts) if you want to blend in with the locals. Put on your friendly and relaxed face – don’t give yourself away after the long day you’ve visiting Bucharest! Sip on a few cocktails

Go for an Aperol Spritz on the rooftop at Deschis Gastrobar or any cocktail you can literally think of at Newton Cocktail Bar or Fix Me a drink. For a warm summer evening, I recommend a cider in the garden at Control – a hip cool place to be or a beer at Eden Garden – a let’s-chill-in-the-forest, unpretentious yet vibrant place.

But the trending place right now among Bucharest locals is Expirat, with beautiful green spaces and terraces, cool music, and that great & young Bucharest vibe I was talking about – that’s my last insight for you! The Old Town is a must-experience part of Bucharest nightlife

Some colorful shots at Shoteria are highly recommended before starting the mandatory restaurant - pub – terrace – club crawling in Lipscani Old City Center (Lipscani Centrul Vechi) – a historical area which hosts a great variety of bars, pubs and clubs. I should tell you that in recent years the Old Town of Bucharest has become quite touristy, with too many places, people and tourists in a frenzy looking for alcohol-induced fun.

While I don’t personally like it and some locals avoid it, it’s a must-see part of the vibrant Bucharest nightlife and you won't find anything similar in other European capitals. Looking for a fancy night out in Bucharest?

If you want an even more fancy night out, girls should consider wearing high heels and guys should go for a dress shirt at minimum. The places to go out in Bucharest for proper, high-end clubbing are located in the northern part of the city, in Floreasca or Herestrau area, and are a great choice for a night out warm nights. Consider Biutiful, Fratelli or Funky Lounge (the last two are located in Herestrau Park). Nuba, Tuya, Kayo, and Hiro are fine-dining restaurants turning into clubs as the night starts.

Budget, transport & safety in Bucharest

Check our article on Bucharest public transport with all the info you need about Bucharest Otopeni Airport, public transport in the city, taxis and official tourism infrastructure.

We also prepared a guide on what you need to know about safety in Bucharest because there are a lot of misconceptions about this beautiful city. But with a little information and awareness, you'll have a great time here.

You don’t need to spend much to have a good time in Bucharest

Coming from London, Paris, Milano, or Munich, you’ll be shocked to see how affordable your Bucharest travel budget needs to be! Imagine paying between 6-15 EUR for a main course, appetizer/dessert, and a drink, 2-3 EUR for a coffee, or 4-5 EUR for a fantastic cocktail or a glass of wine in most places. Attraction tickets to museums and other places to visit in Bucharest are usually between 3-5 euros. A reasonable budget per day for visiting the city should start at 30 Euro. Take the metro or a taxi, buses are unreliable

The most efficient public transport is the subway which is quite affordable and convenient: a bit over 1 Euro for 2 rides, 5 Euro for 10. Taxis are also inexpensive with around 2,5 Lei/km (0,5 Euro) but ridesharing apps such as Uber and Bolt are the most popular choice for getting around in our capital. I don’t recommend using buses or trains in Bucharest: besides them being unfriendly for a foreigner, their irregular schedule combined with hectic traffic make them unreliable even for locals!

You've got lots of options on Airbnb or booking.com - check to see what fits your preferences and budget.

The general rule of where to stay in Bucharest is close to a metro station because it's the best, quickest, and easiest way to navigate Bucharest.

For hotels, there will be plenty around Union Square, Cismigiu Gardens, Piata Romana, Piata Victoriei, and Revolution Square. But even if you stay further away you can navigate the city using a taxi and metro.

You'll find all the main international hotel chains (Mariott, Ramada, Hilton, etc), including a selection of boutique, charming hotels in beautiful buildings from the Little Paris era.

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Known as the 'Little Paris of the East'  thanks to its palaces and beautiful 20th-century buildings,  Bucharest is an elegant, imperial city  with a passionate  history  for visitors to discover.

• General Information
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Why Visit Bucharest?

Bucharest is the capital of Romania as well as the country's industrial, commercial and cultural heart . Despite the fact that it is still an unknown city for many people, in recent years tourism has considerably increased and slowly but surely it has become one of the points of reference in south-east Europe .

Bucharest oozes history , and each step you take through the city takes you back in time, as you discover the secrets that lie behind its peculiar charm.

The city has a mix of architectural styles, with surprises around every corner; from bourgeois palaces reminiscent of the city's most glorious era to the big communist tower blocks built during the city's darkest period. If walls could talk, there would be many stories to be told !

How to Organise a Trip to Bucharest

Our Bucharest travel guide will help you get all the information you need before you travel . That way, once you're there, all you'll have to worry about is having a good time. We think that the best way to prepare for your trip is to read the  legends about the history of the city   and the practical information that will come in handy throughout your trip. Then, you should take a look at the main museums and tourist attractions in the city .

Hotels in Bucharest

If you haven't already booked your accommodation, we offer a selection of hotels for all budgets. The best price is always guaranteed, and discounts of up to 75% are available.   Follow the link for the best hotel deals in Bucharest .

• Hotels in Bucharest - Reserve online for the best deals

top activities

Bran and Peles Castle Day Trip Delve into the mountain landscapes of Romania on this tour from Bucharest. Explore the mystical Bran, also known as Dracula's Castle, and the Peles Castle!

Free Walking Tour of Bucharest Discover the beautiful old town and the most interesting places in the Romanian capital on this free walking tour of Bucharest !

Day Trip to Bulgaria Discover the legendary history of  Basarabov, Veliko Tarnavo and Arbanasi, three of northern Bulgaria's most picturesque places to visit .

Bucharest: Palace of Parliament Guided Tour On this guided tour of the Palace of Parliament in Bucharest , we'll visit the most important and iconic rooms of the world's   largest administrative building .

Bucharest Ghosts & Vampires Tour Welcome to the dark side of Bucharest . When night falls, strange beings lurk in the shadows and peculiar things occur... Are you ready for adventure?

Free Bucharest History Tour Immerse yourself in the Romanian capital's past with this Free Bucharest History Tour. Discover the most symbolic buildings during the country's history.

The graffiti in the capital of Romania bring color to the city's  communist past . On this free tour, we'll discover some of Bucharest's finest street art!

Bucharest Pub Crawl Enjoy an unforgettable night in Bucharest , with this route around 4 of the most fashionable bars in the city . Make the most of the Romanian capital's nightlife !

Communist Bucharest Free Tour Do you know what the Ceaușescu era meant for the Romanian capital? We'll learn about this period in this free tour of communist Bucharest .

Slanic Salt Mines Day Trip Escape the Romanian capital for a day and explore the Slanic Salt Mines on this day trip from Bucharest. Discover the largest salt mines in Europe!

Romania 2-Day Tour Dracula's Castle, Brasov, Sibiu, Peles Castle... Get lost in legendary Transylvania on this two-day guided tour from Bucharest.

Undiscovered Bucharest Tour Discover the Bellu cemetery, the urban art on Arthur Verona street and all the other parts of  undiscovered Bucharest on this alternative tour.

Guided Tour of Bucharest Palaces, churches, immense civil buildings... Discover the cultural heritage of  Bucharest's most fascinating monuments on this guided tour of the city centre !

Village Museum + Herastrau Park Tour Discover the northern part of Bucharest on this guided tour of the Village Museum and Herastrau Park , where we'll also visit the  Arc of Triumph !

Thermal Spa Day Trip On this day trip to a  thermal spa   from Bucharest , you'll enjoy a day of relaxation  in one of the biggest  spas in Europe .

Private Day Trip from Bucharest Transylvania, Valaquia, Basarabov, Veliko Tarnovo... Discover Romania's legendary history visiting its most famous castles, on this private tour from Bucharest.

Private Tour of Bucharest Make the most of your trip to Bucharest by booking a private tour of the city . Tailor the itinerary, start when you want & enjoy apersonal guide.

Bucharest Tuk Tuk Tour Want to explore the capital of Romania in comfort and style ? This  tuk tuk tour in Bucarest is the perfect option for you!

On this sweets tour of Bucharest, you'll be able to try these delicacies and take part in a fun coffee workshop - perfect for those with a sweet tooth!

The Museum of Communism in Bucharest Ticket At  The Museum of Communism in Bucharest , you'll see an exhibition that narrates the historical milestones of over 40 years of the regime in Romania .

Bucharest Christmas Tour Cinnamon, gingerbread, and garlands of lights. On this tour of Bucharest's Christmas markets, you'll learn about the local traditions and Santa Claus .

On this 2-day tour of Transylvania, we'll travel from Bucharest to Bran, where you'll enjoy a terrifying Halloween party outside Dracula's Castle .

Black Sea & Danube Delta 2 Day Tour Discover two of the most spectacular places on the Romanian coast, the Black Sea and the Danube Delta, on this two day tour from Bucharest.

Transfagarasan Road Trip Known for its impossible bends in the mountains of Transylvania and Valaquia, feel the thrill as you discover the famous Transfagarasan Road.

The most complete Bucharest travel guide

We offer a  travel guide for travelers, written by travelers , with personal advice that will help you save money and know the best places to visit; all you'll have to do is enjoy your trip to  Bucharest .

The information in this guide was collected in  August 2022 . We do our best to keep it up-to-date, but if you find any mistakes or anything we should change, please let us know .

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Best Things to Do in Bucharest for the First-Time Visitors

Home » Visit » Travel Ideas » Best Things to Do in Bucharest for the First-Time Visitors

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Diana Condrea

Discover our Bucharest tours .

Bucharest is a sure candidate for the slogan visit a destination before the tourists come. The low numbers compared to famous destinations like Rome or Paris make it a safe bet if you’re looking to escape the crowds and long queues. Plus, the city is a great choice if you want to experience a different European capital.

Bookmark our hand-picked guide to the best things to do in Bucharest, and start planning a new discovery.

1. Visit the Palace of the Parliament

The Palace of the Parliament opens our list of the best things to do in Bucharest. Also known as the House of the People, this is the most famous landmark from Romania’s communist period . It’s one of the most controversial constructions in the world, the symbol of a dictatorship that changed the country’s history .

The Palace of the Parliament

The second-largest building on the planet after the Pentagon, the Parliament has a surface of 370,000 square meters and a height of 84 meters . It has over 1,000 rooms, nuclear bunkers, and escape tunnels in the underground.

Yet, its monumental dimensions shouldn’t surprise you. The landmark was supposed to be the core of Ceausescu’s new Bucharest. Visiting it gives you a chance to understand how far a dictator can go against the common good of his own nation.

Book your visit on http://cic.cdep.ro . Bring your ID card or passport for the security check.

2. Take a walk on Victoriei Avenue

Save at least two hours for a walk on Victoriei Avenue, the most beautiful boulevard in Bucharest. This is the best way to see famous landmarks and an excellent starting point to explore Bucharest off the beaten track . Take a right or a left on the many small streets it intersects and uncover charming old houses, cafes, and local life.

The CEC Palace

The major attractions you will pass by are the National Museum of History, the CEC Palace, the Revolution Square, the National Museum of Art, the Atheneum , and Cantacuzino Palace.

If you have enough time, visit the National Museum of History and the National Museum of Art.

Discover more museums in Bucharest .

3. Explore the Old Town

The Old Town will most likely be the first part of your Bucharest visit. You’ll find there some of the must-see monuments in the capital, but also lively streets packed with restaurants and bars .

Don’t miss the 19th-century Manuc Inn, the medieval ruins of the Old Court, Stavropoleos Monastery , the former bank edifices from Lipscani Street, and the most beautiful bookstore in the city .

Former bank edifice in the Old Town

4. Visit the Village Museum

Located in Bucharest’s largest park, Herastrau, the Village Museum is one of the best open-air museums in Romania . Take a tour to discover the rural heritage and architecture without stepping out of Bucharest .

The museum has an open-air collection of over 300 rural monuments, including old churches, traditional houses, and installations from different corners of the country .

The Village Museum

Check the visiting hours at http://muzeul-satului.ro

5. Visit the Bellu Cemetery

Go outside the city center and explore one of the most authentic attractions in Bucharest .

Bellu Cemetery , easy to reach by subway, displays a fascinating gallery of funeral sculptures and tombs . Take your time to walk around and see as many of the almost 200 historical monuments.

Bellu Cemetery

Discover more impressive cemeteries in Romania .

6. Tour the centuries-old churches

Bucharest has many old churches , most in the historical center. While seeing all of them is almost impossible in a short time, don’t miss the churches of Stavropoleos, Coltea, Bucur, Sfantu Gheorghe, Mihai Voda, Antim, and the Patriarchy.

Stavropoleos Monastery

7. Discover the local parks

Bucharest is not the greenest capital in Europe, but its parks are a true oasis on a hot day. The oldest one, Cismigiu, is the easiest to reach, either from Victoriei Avenue or from the Old Town. If you want to go outside the center, take a long walk to Carol Park and enjoy a panoramic view of the Parliament.

Cismigiu Park

Just a few minutes away, Tineretului is one of the locals’ favorite parks. It has cycling trails, sports courts, and many playgrounds for children.

Read also  Discover the Most Beautiful Parks in Romania

8. Try the pastry

Locals have a great passion for pastry, and you’ll find a pastry shop on almost every corner. The pretzels, covrigi , are a local favorite. They come in different shapes and flavors, salty and sweet, but all are delicious. Try also the salty Dobrogeana, a traditional Romanian cheese pie, and the popular apple strudels.

9. Take a guided tour

If it’s your first visit and you’d like to have a more in-depth experience, try a guided tour. We offer complete city tours or specialized communist, historical, and food tours.

Check more ideas for self-organized tours in Bucharest .

If you’d like to take a guided tour of Bucharest, check our tours on  www.uncover-romania-tours.com

We hope you’ll have a great time uncovering the capital with our list of the best things to do in Bucharest.

Pack your bags and get ready to be surprised.

Where to stay in Bucharest

Don’t forget to book your accommodation in time to get the best deals. You can find below a hand-picked selection of our favorite places to stay in Bucharest.

If you prefer a central hotel, our recommendations are Hilton Garden Inn Bucharest , Mansion Boutique Hotel , Grand Boutique Hotel , and Grand Hotel Continental . Check also  Epoque Hotel , Cismigiu Hotel , and Marmorosch Hotel .

Booking an apartment is also a popular and more budget-friendly option. While there are hundreds of choices, we can help narrow down your list. Our suggestions are Vila Cotroceni Boutique , University Central , Bucharest Residence , Diana’s Flat , Cismigiu Orchid Garden , and Studio Old Town .

If hostels are your thing, try Umbrella Hostel , Podstel Bucharest , or First Hostel Bucharest .

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Travel tips

Location: Bucharest, Southern Romania

Access: Otopeni International Airport/Gara de Nord Railway Station

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14 Best Things to do in Bucharest

Written By: Catalin Geangos

Published On: May 31, 2022

The city of Bucharest is a must-see for any visitor looking to experience the beauty and history that Romania has waiting. From grand architecture, museums galore, shopping, and beautiful parks; you’ll never run out of things to do in Bucharest. 

Table of Contents

best things to do in Bucharest

Bucharest is fast becoming a must-visit destination in Europe a nd with a mix of modern buildings popping up among the 20th-century palaces and museums, plus one of the best nightlife scenes on the continent, Bucharest has something for everyone. So let’s get started and explore all the best places to visit in Bucharest, Romania!

1. Palace of Parliament

The Palace of Parliament, also known as the People’s house, is the most iconic building in Bucharest. Located atop the Dealul Spirii hill, it is the world’s second-largest administrative building, after the Pentagon, and is home to Romania’s parliament. 

This architectural feat is the world’s heaviest building, weighing about 9.04 billion pounds. This massive building is constructed with marble and steel and sits on over 360,000 square meters of land. 

Get your skip the line tickets in advance – Get fast access to the Parliament and once inside meet the Bucharest Parliament Official Guide to explore its interior. Highlights include taking in the panoramic views of the fountains boulevard from the Dictator’s Balcony and learning about the communist regime in Romania as you admire its nearly 500 chandeliers, more than 1400 mirrors and ceiling lights and 35 million cubic feet of marble.

The Palace of Parliament is a must-see for any visitor to Bucharest. The building is an architectural masterpiece, and its size is breathtaking. It is also a reminder of the country’s communist past, as it was commissioned by former Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceau?escu. Today, the Palace of Parliament is a symbol of democracy and a popular tourist destination.

If you are interested in learning more about the history of the Palace of Parliament, take a guided tour ! The tour guides are very knowledgeable and can provide you with insights into the building’s past, present, and future. Make sure to also visit the museum, which offers a fascinating look at how the building was constructed and the impact it has had on Bucharest and Romania as a whole. Book guided tours in advance here.

2. Old Town

If you are visiting Bucharest, make sure to check out Old Town! There is so much to see and do, and you’ll get a taste of the city’s rich history and many of the city’s most important landmarks are here.

Old Town is also a popular tourist destination, as it is filled with restaurants, cafes, and shops. Take a stroll down Calea Victoriei, the city’s main street, and enjoy the beautiful architecture. Or stop by Manuc’s Inn, a historic restaurant and inn that dates back to the 18th century.

Old Town is the historic center of Bucharest and was once the court of Vlad the Impaler. It is home to Curtea Veche, a museum of excavated medieval ruins, watched over by the bust of Vlad III Dracula. The National Museum of Romanian History is located on Calea Victoriei and features artifacts from all periods of Romanian history, from prehistory to modern times.

3. Bucharest Nightlife

It’s no secret that Bucarest has become known for its incredible nightlife. In Old Town, you can find some of the best clubs in the city, including, Nomad Skybar, which has a beautiful terrace that offers an amazing view of the city, and Bordello, an exciting lively club that has live music and cabaret shows with dancers, singers, and magicians. 

One of the best ways to get a feel for Old Town’s nightlife is to book an Old Town pub crawl tour. This four-hour tour lets you discover the best bars and clubs in the Old Town area with an experienced local guide. Visit 4-5 different clubs and bars with a free shot in each venue. Meet new people and get the best recommendations for other things to do in Bucharest/

If you want to experience the best of Bucharest’s nightlife, Old Town is the place to be! The area is full of history and culture, and there is something for everyone to enjoy. Whether you are interested in architecture, art, food, or the nightlife, Old Town has something to offer.

4. Arch of Triumph

The Arch of Triumph stands 27 meters tall and is located on Kiseleff Road, in the northern part of Bucharest. After Romania gained its independence in 1878, wooden beams were hastily manufactured and erected immediately after so that the victorious troops could pass beneath it.

The arch was reconstructed in 1922 and later replaced in 1935 to commemorate the Romanian soldiers who fought in World War I. Now, the structure is made of stone and is adorned with statues of Romanian heroes.

The Arch of Triumph is a popular tourist destination, as it is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Bucharest.

This Bucharest City Driving Tour takes you on a four-hour tour of seeing the top attractions in Bucharest.  Drive to sights like the Palace of Parliament, the Village Museum, Victory Avenue, Revolution Square, and the Patriarchal Cathedral.

5. Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum

The Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum, or the Villiage Museum, is a unique open-air museum that features a collection of traditional Romanian folk houses that have been painstakingly restored. Each of the 272 structures was carefully disassembled, transported to the museum, and reassembled in place.

Founded in 1936 and located in King Michael I Park, this museum extends over 100,000 square meters. As part of the park’s walkable village-style setting, made to depict the way life used to be like in Romania, you can see the peasant homes, various types of churches, barns, and other smaller displayed artifacts such as pottery on display. 

6. Cismigiu Park

Cismigiu Park, or Cismigiu Gardens, is located in the middle of Bucharest. This public park may not be the biggest, but it is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the beautiful Romanian scenery. 

If you’re looking for a break from the hustle and bustle of the city, Cismigiu is a peaceful green oasis surrounded by a spectacularly colorful flower garden, a shady alley, and a large artificial lake (that is turned into a skating rink in the winter). 

More of a botanical garden than a park, this is a wonderful spot to visit with the whole family or for a romantic stroll, and it has plenty of space for lounging and picnics. Take a seat on one of the many benches with a book or camera, as you’re sure to want to spend some time taking in the scenery.

One of our favourite ways to get around a city is by cycling. This guided tour by bicycle starts in the old city to marvel at the monumental Parliament Palace and see the top landmarks in Budapest while admiring architecture from the 19th and the early 20th century. Cycling is a great way to see a lot in a short time. See more details here.

7. Romanian Athenaeum

Opened in 1888, the Romanian Athenaeum, or Ateneul Român, is a concert hall located in the center of Bucharest, Romania. The Romanian Athenaeum is a popular tourist destination, as it is one of the most beautiful and historic buildings in Bucharest.

The building is a neoclassic architectural masterpiece and is considered one of the finest concert halls in the world. The concert hall is world-renowned for its acoustics and is home to the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra. It hosts a variety of classical music concerts throughout the year. If you are a fan of classical music, make sure to check the schedule and see if there is a concert during your visit.

8. Go for a Walking Tour

One of the best ways to see Bucharest is by going on a walking tour. Walking tours are a great way to learn about the history and culture of the city, as well as get some exercise.

There are many different walking tours available, so you can choose one that interests you. There are tours that focus on the history of the city, the architecture, or the food. Some of the most popular walking tours include the Old Town Tour, the Communist Tour, and the Dracula Tour.

Walking tours are a great way to explore Bucharest at your own pace. You can stop and take photos, go into shops and restaurants, and really get a feel for the city. No matter which tours you choose, you’re sure to learn a lot about Bucharest and have a great time. 

This Bucharest alternative walking tour lets you see a unique point of view of the city. From the Military Club Palace, youl’ll explore street art and graffiti and learn about the freedom of expression in libraries, bars and independent theaters. It’s a cool way to see off-the-beaten-bath places in Bucharest and to listen to stories from a local perspective while snapping photos of coolest places and murals in town.

9. Herastrau Park

Herastrau Park, or Parcul Herastrau, located on the shores of Lake Herastrau, is one of the largest and most popular parks in the area. While sharing the same jaw-droppingly beautiful qualities as Cismigiu Park, Herastrau features a larger variety of recreational activities with the National Village Museum in its proximity.

Renting a rowboat or taking a ferry boat trip on Lake Her?str?u is a fantastic way to appreciate the park’s natural splendor.  The wide paths make it perfect to cycle or take a stroll. While on your walk, keep an eye out for the notable statues of Beethoven and Shakespeare and sculptures of animals, Romanian legends, and mythological creatures. 

Not up for walking? Have a picnic, visit the rose garden, or check out the incredible Reef Aquarium. There are also many restaurants and cafes, as well as a playground, dog park, and plenty of sports facilities.

If you are looking to enjoy the outdoors, Herastrau Park is the perfect place for you.

10. Try traditional food at Caru cu Bere

Caru cu Bere is a traditional Romanian restaurant located on the Lipscani Street, part of the Old Town.

Caru cu Bere has been serving traditional Romanian food since 1879 and is known for its authentic delicious Romanian cuisine, original beer recipe, and unique atmosphere. The menu features a variety of dishes, including soups, stews, meats, and vegetables and an extensive wine list.

If you are looking for a truly unique dining experience, make sure to visit Caru cu Bere as it’s one of the greatest restaurants you’ll find throughout the country, with delectable cuisine and live classic music. You’re sure to have a memorable meal at this Bucharest icon.

11. Spa Day at Therme Bucharest

After a long day of sightseeing, there’s nothing better than unwinding at Therme. While outside of Bucharest, the giant spa complex is located just 10 minutes away from the city and offers a variety of treatments and services. Therme provides a free shuttle bus all week long that departs from Piata Romana and arrives at the doors of the spa. They are the largest relaxation centers in all of Europe and for good reason.

Therme is the perfect place to unwind and includes different treatments, facials, massages and body wraps. There is also a sauna, a steam room, and a few pools.

The mineral pools, waterslides, and indoor botanical garden are the highlight of the fun and relaxing stay. Make sure to book a treatment or two, as you’re sure to leave feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. Book your 5 hour admission including transfers in advance here to enjoy the biggest indoor wellness center in Europe.

Best Day Trips from Bucharest

12. dracula’s castle and peles castle.

You can’t visit Romania and not see Dracula’s Castle. This highly rated full day tour from Bucharest takes you from Bucharest to Transqylvania where you’ll take a guided tour of Bran Castle (aka Dracula’s Castle) Plus visit the fairytale castl of Peles Castle and the medieval town of Brasov.

13. Stunt School Training

One of our favourite things to do in Bucharest was to take a stunt training course just outside of town. Located just outside of Bucharest is Academia Titi Aur where regular Joes like us can get into car simulators to learn about safety and lessons of rally car racing before going out on the track and putting those practical tips to work.

We took part in the crash simulator, the car rolling simulator and the drunk simulator before hitting the track to learn how to slide slip, drift and drive on two wheels. Make sure to watch our video above for all the fun! For more information on Titi Aur Academia check out their website: http://www.titiaur.ro/

14. Transylvania and Brasov

This Bucharest to Brasov tour includes skip the line tickets to Peles and Bran Castles plus guided tours. Hear about the life of Vlad the Impaler and enjoy time at the pretty town of Sinaia, the summer palace of Romanian Royals. You’ll also take a walking tour of Bra?ov.

These are just a few of the many things to do in Bucharest. No matter what you’re looking for, Bucharest is the perfect destination. So what are you waiting for? Book your trip today and come experience all that this city has to offer!

Photo of Therme Spa by Daniele Napolitano, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons.

Where to Stay in Bucharest

We stayed The Hilton Garden Inn in old Town and loved its central location. It was easy to get around by walking or taxi.

Another great hotel is Novotel downtown just steps away from Old Town, National Art Museum, Romanian Athenaeum, Cismigiu Garden and more.

Both of these hotels are currently taking in people displaced by the war in Ukraine so make sure to check with the hotels for availability.

And these are the best things to do in Bucharest Romania. Bucharest is an affordable European city to explore and we thoroughly enjoyed our time here. Hopefully, these insider tips will help you put Bucharest and other parts of Romania on your European Itinerary.

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Looking to book your next trip? Why not use these resources that are tried and tested by yours truly.

Flights: Start planning your trip by finding the best flight deals on Skyscanner

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Find Apartment Rentals: You will find the cheapest prices on apartment rentals with VRBO . 

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Need more help planning your trip? Make sure to check out our Resources Page where we highlight all the great companies that we trust when we are traveling.

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About Catalin Geangos

Catalin Geangos is the Founder and Editor of TravelTrained who lived in Bucharest for almost 10 years and traveled in more than 35 countries so far. Visit Catalin Website and follow Catalin on Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Youtube

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The Top 10 Things to Do and See in Bucharest

Everyone has a relatively good idea of what to expect when visiting Paris , London , Berlin , Prague or Budapest . But what to make of Bucharest , one of the biggest cities in Europe and an up-and-coming destination for years? Here’s our guide on how to make the best of Bucharest to get you started.

See stunning architecture.

An architect’s surrealist dream or total nightmare, Bucharest can be both. From large Stalinist architectural monuments lining the big boulevards designed during the country’s Communist decades , to quiet and charming tree-lined streets with Art Deco villas, the city’s got it all. The meeting ground of Western and Eastern architectural styles, Bucharest has a unique architectural identity, the keyword being ‘diversity’.

Uncover unique museums

Explore quirky neighbourhoods.

Bucharest’s neighbourhoods could not be more different. Walk the huge boulevards in the city centre inspired by Nicolae Ceaușescu’s ill-fated visit to North Korea, get lost on the winding cobbled streets of the nearby Lipscani, the city’s party epicentre, cool off in the charming Cotroceni while admiring imposing villas, then grab a meal in one of restaurants in Floreasca, among the city’s best. And you’ve only just scratched the surface.

Discover charming bookstores

The city’s bookstores are the best place to pick a souvenir in the form of an album about Romania’s picturesque region of Bukovina, its magnificent castles or the Danube Delta , one of Europe’s top wildlife destinations. Do not miss Kyralina, hosted in a beautifully restored 19th-century villa, and the breathtaking book lovers’ paradise that is Cărturești Carusel .

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZfKkZujUUY/?taken-by=the_mastery_code

Spot original street art

Bucharest has a lot of old buildings whose walls and roofs are starting to be covered in some very creative ways. In one of the latest projects, developed by Make a Point , a group of local creatives has hit a major mark by covering the rooftops of several blocks of flats with murals inspired by the identity of their neighbourhood, Pantelimon.

Visit churches and monasteries

The city has plenty of churches and monasteries, where rituals are carried out in the same way as hundreds of years ago. Experience the otherworldly draw of Byzantine spirituality by attending a morning or evening service in 18th-century, Brâncovenesc-style Stavropoleos Monastery , Domnița Bălașa church or Plumbuita Monastery. And, if you’re looking to lift a particular curse, consider heading to Zlătari church.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUmV1ssDb_C/?tagged=zlatari

Relax in the park

There’s no better way to escape the crowds than head to one of Bucharest’s parks and gardens. If looking for a carefully designed green oasis in the heart of the city, visit Grădina Cişmigiu , the oldest and most popular public garden. For wide lawns and long walking lanes head to Herăstrău Park or Tineretului Park, and for a wildlife-watching experience go to Parcului Natural Văcăreşti . The Botanical Gardens, some of the best in the country, will introduce you to the varied local flora.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaBBWfSDl8K/?tagged=tineretului

Taste great food

A visit to Bucharest can act as the best introduction to Romanian cuisine . Try local staple dishes such as sarmale , mititei and papanași , while not forgetting that the Romanian capital is a great spot to revisit world cuisine at its many cafés and restaurants.

Shop at the market

Bucharest has some pretty colourful markets where you will find fresh local produce, such as berries and mushrooms from the Carpathian Mountains, honey products and the best quality fruit and vegetables around. The biggest market in Romania, Obor Market , is perhaps the best place for an immersive experience, while treasure hunters should brace the distance and pay a visit to Valea Cascadelor, the city’s biggest flea market.

Buy local design

Traditional Romanian souvenirs are a great way to bring a piece of the local culture to your home. But while in Bucharest, take time to browse through shops and galleries looking for objects, clothes and accessories by local designers and you might stumble upon some treasures.

Watch a Romanian movie

Romanian cinema has been on an upswing since the ’90s. Over the years, local powerhouses Cristi Mungiu, winner of the Cannes Palme d’Or in 2007, Calin Peter Netzer, winner of the Berlin Golden Bear, and Cristi Puiu have successfully exported their creative vision abroad and have already started receiving competition from talented young directors, to the benefit of cinema lovers everywhere.

Enjoy the vibrant nightlife

One of the undisputed party capitals in Europe, Bucharest’s nightlife has something for everyone. Start off with a cocktail in one of the hip bars in Palatul Universul or at the many pubs in the old centre before heading to Control or Expirat for a cool, alternative crowd, or Fratelli for an unforgettable glamorous extravaganza.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BU5PPtplwgs/?taken-by=a_n_a_david

Go to the beach

While perhaps a surprising suggestion at first sight, going to the beach – a real yellow sandy one with palm trees even – is perfectly possible. In the summer, head to Sands of Therme , the biggest urban beach in Europe, and in the cold months you can head the same way, since the covered thermal water pools at Therme are open year-round.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

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Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

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18 Top Things to do in Bucharest, Museums, History and Travel Guide

December 10, 2023 | Posted in: Romania

Bucharest is the capital and largest city of Romania. It is located in the southeast of Romania, about 140 kilometers north of the Danube River and Bulgarian border. Bucharest has an area of around 585 square kilometers (225 square miles) and the city sits on the Dâmbovița River and had a population of 1,817,938 million as of 2023.

Bucharest became the capital of Wallachia in 1698 and was later proclaimed the capital of united Romanian principalities in 1862, then the capital of Romania after independence in 1878. Its history traces back to the 15th century, with the first written mention in 1459 during the rule of Vlad Țepeș. The city developed as a commercial center between the Ottoman Empire and Central Europe, leading to much of its eclectic architecture.

Bucharest features the Palace of Parliament, the second largest administrative building in the world, which visitors can take guided tours of sections like parliamentary chambers and ornate rooms. The historic Lipscani district highlights the old medieval architecture, lively restaurants, cafes, bars and clubs, especially in the bustling Old Town area. Bucharest is located in the Eastern European Time zone, which is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+2). Bucharest observes Eastern European Summer Time (GMT+3) from late March until late October each year.

Listed below are the things to do in Bucharest.

• Stavropoleos Monastery. Stavropoleos Monastery is an Eastern Orthodox monastery in central Bucharest, built in 1724 in the Brâncovenesc style, combining Byzantine, Ottoman and Western influences. It features ornate exterior stonework and interior frescoes. The monastery houses a museum with old icons, artifacts and over 8,000 rare books. Visitors can admire the architecture and art, attend services, explore the museum and library and photograph details.
• Herăstrău Park. Herăstrău Park is Bucharest's largest and most beautiful park at 187 hectares, featuring green spaces, rare trees and scenic lake views. Activities include walking, biking, boating and visiting attractions like the Village Museum, Japanese Garden, sports facilities, restaurants and open-air theater. The park appeals to all ages as a spot for recreation without leaving the city.
• Palace of Parliament. The Palace of Parliament in Bucharest is the second largest administrative building in the world at 365,000 square meters. The palace was built entirely under Ceaușescu and it features a neoclassical interior design with 1,100 rooms and 700,000 tonnes of steel and bronze. Visitors can take tours to see sections like parliamentary chambers, museums and unique rooms.
• Romanian Athenaeum (Ateneul Român). The Romanian Athenaeum is Bucharest's main concert hall. It opened in 1888 and is home to the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra. Inspired by ancient Greek temples, it features beautiful interior murals depicting Romanian history. Visitors can attend over 100 classical music concerts yearly or take tours to see the ornate landmark interior.
• National Village Museum (Muzeul Naţional al Satului). The National Village Museum in Bucharest showcases Romanian village life with over 300 authentic peasant houses, farms, churches and workshops representing Romania's major historical regions. Exhibits portray traditional rural architecture, tools, customs and daily artifacts from the 17th-20th centuries. Visitors can walk through the open-air museum, enter some interiors and attend special events.
• Old Town. The Old Town in Bucharest is a historic district that retains the medieval merchant quarter's architecture. Attractions include 15th-century palace ruins, 17th-18th-century Orthodox churches and the 19th-century Manuc's Inn. Visitors can walk the streets, shop, eat traditional food and experience Bucharest's famous nightlife venues.
• Curtea Veche. The Old Princely Court. Curtea Veche was a 15th-century royal palace and residence for Wallachian princes in central Bucharest. Excavations have uncovered structures like the Princely Church and artifacts providing a glimpse into the city's early history. Visitors can walk around the remains of the fortified court and view archaeological finds.

1. Stavropoleos Monastery

Stavropoleos Monastery is an Eastern Orthodox monastery located in central Bucharest, Romania. Its address is 4 Stavropoleos Street in the historic Lipscani district. The monastery is sometimes referred to simply as Stavropoleos Church. Stavropoleos was built in 1724 in the Brâncovenesc architectural style, which combines Byzantine, Ottoman and Western influences.It was founded by Archimandrite Ioanichie Stratonikeas, a Greek monk. The monastery is dedicated to the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel.

Stavropoleos features ornate stone carvings and columns on the exterior and intricate frescoes covering the interior walls and ceilings. The frescoes depict religious scenes and figures. The monastery also houses a museum with a rich collection of old icons, artifacts and over 8,000 rare books. Visitors to Stavropoleos can admire the architecture and art, attend services to hear the choir sing Orthodox chants, explore the museum and library and photograph the decorative details. The central location makes it easy to access, within walking distance of the Universitate and Unirii metro stations. Stavropoleos appeals to tourists interested in Romanian culture, architecture, Byzantine art and Orthodox Christianity.

2. Herăstrău Park

Herăstrău Park, known as King Michael I Park, is the largest park in Bucharest, Romania, covering 187 hectares around Herăstrău Lake. Herăstrău Park is considered Bucharest's most beautiful park, with lush green spaces, rare trees like Japanese cherry blossoms and scenic views of Herăstrău Lake.

The park offers many activities for visitors. Visitors can walk, run, bike or rollerblade on the paths around the lake, which is about 5.9 km long. Boating, paddle boating and water biking are popular on the lake. There is a large open-air Village Museum showcasing Romanian village life, a Japanese Garden, sports facilities, restaurants and an open-air theater that hosts concerts. Major attractions located right near the park include the Triumphal Arch, the Village Museum, the National History Museum and more. The park appeals to all ages and is a popular spot for walks, recreation and relaxation without leaving the city.

3. Palace of Parliament

The Palace of Parliament (Romanian. Palatul Parlamentului) is located in central Bucharest at Strada Izvor 2, Romania. It is located near the Unirii metro station on the M3 blue line. The palace has a floor area of 365,000 square meters, which makes the Palace of Parliament the second-largest administrative building in the world after the Pentagon. It was built entirely during the dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu and features lavish interior design inspired by multiple architectural styles like neoclassicism. Some key features of the Palace include 12 stories, 1,100 rooms, 480 chandeliers, 700,000 tonnes of steel and bronze and ornate rooms like the Human Rights Hall and Unification Hall. The Palace houses the Romanian Parliament along with three museums.

Visitors can take guided tours to see sections of the interior and exterior, including parliamentary chambers, museums and unique rooms. Other activities include posing with medieval guards and exploring the gardens and fountains surrounding the Palace. The Palace of Parliament appeals most to history and architecture enthusiasts interested in Romania's communist era and the grandiose vision of Nicolae Ceaușescu. It's also a must-see landmark for visitors exploring the top attractions in Bucharest.

4. Romanian Athenaeum (Ateneul Român)

The Romanian Athenaeum (Ateneul Român) is a concert hall located in central Bucharest at Str. Franklin 1-3, Romania. The Athenaeum opened in 1888 and is home to the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra. It is Bucharest’s main concert hall and a historic symbol of Romanian culture, featuring architectural design inspired by ancient Greek temples. The interior is beautifully decorated with murals depicting scenes from Romanian history.

Visitors can attend over 100 classical music concerts yearly by the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra or visiting performers. Guided tours are available to see the ornate interior and learn about the Athenaeum's history. The landmark concert hall best appeals to classical music lovers, particularly fans of George Enescu. It attracts visitors interested in Romanian culture and history, architecture enthusiasts, tourists seeing top Bucharest landmarks and photographers.

5. National Village Museum (Muzeul Naţional al Satului)

The National Village Museum (Muzeul Naţional al Satului “Dimitrie Gusti”) is an open-air ethnographic museum located in Herăstrău Park in Bucharest, Romania. The museum was established in 1936 and showcased traditional Romanian village life with over 300 authentic Romanian peasant houses, farms, churches, technical installations and workshops arranged to represent the major historical regions of Romania.

The museum covers over 100,000 square meters and contains houses ranging from the 17th to early 20th centuries, transferred from villages around Romania and rebuilt at the museum. It provides a glimpse into traditional Romanian rural life and folk culture. Exhibits portray the architecture, traditions, tools and artifacts of Romanian village life. Special events like fairs and festivals also take place at the museum.

Visitors can walk through the open-air museum to view the buildings and daily artifacts of traditional life. Some interiors can be entered. Special events and demonstrations show folk arts, crafts or customs. The onsite restaurant sells traditional dishes and the gift shop offers folk art souvenirs. The museum suits all audiences interested in Romanian cultural heritage.

6. The Old Town

The Old Town (Centrul Vechi/Lipscani) is a historic district in central Bucharest, Romania, that serves as the city's main entertainment and nightlife hub. Bucharest was significantly damaged over time by natural disasters, wars and communist-era demolition. The Old Town retains the layout and architecture of the city's old medieval merchant quarter. Historical attractions include the ruins of the 15th-century Curtea Veche palace, stunning 17th-18th century Orthodox churches like Stavropoleos and St. Anton, historic inns such as the early 19th century Manuc's Inn and the beautiful Carturesti Carusel bookstore housed in a restored late 19th-century building.

Visitors to the Old Town can walk around the historic streets and architectural sites, enjoy traditional Romanian food and drinks, shop at local boutiques, people-watch from ubiquitous café terraces and experience Bucharest's famous nightclubs and bars. Historic sites like Curtea Veche and beautiful churches can be visited and walking tours of the Old Town are available. Old Town suits a wide audience, given its diversity of sights, restaurants, cafes, bars and clubs. Most Old Town attractions do not require paid admission, though nightclubs and some venues may have cover charges.

7. Curtea Veche. The Old Princely Court

Curtea Veche (“Old Court” in Romanian) was built in 1459 during the rule of Vlad the Impaler as a royal palace and residence for Wallachian princes. It was the center of Bucharest for over 300 years and saw expansions and reconstructions under various rulers before being mostly abandoned by the late 1800s. Excavations initiated in 1953 have uncovered structures remaining from the original 15th-century palace, the 16th-century Princely Church, cellars, fountains, medieval artifacts and fragments offering a glimpse into Bucharest’s early history.

Visitors can walk around the ruins and remnants of structures to visualize the layout of the early fortified court, view the uncovered archaeological finds and plaques detailing the site's history, take photos of the bust of Vlad the Impaler and visit the nearby Inn and Princely Church dating from the 16th-18th centuries for additional context. It is ideal for history and archaeology enthusiasts interested in the beginnings of Bucharest. Viewing the outdoor archaeological site and associated markers is no admission fee.

8. Revolution Square

Revolution Square (Piața Revoluției in Romanian) is a major public square in central Bucharest, Romania. It was known as Palace Square (Piața Palatului) until 1989, when it was renamed after the Romanian Revolution that overthrew the communist regime. The square is surrounded by several landmark buildings, such as the former Royal Palace (now the National Museum of Art of Romania), the Athenaeum, the Athénée Palace Hotel and the Central University Library. It also houses the former headquarters of the Romanian Communist Party, where dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu fled during the revolution.

Visitors can admire the architectural landmarks surrounding Revolution Square, especially the ornate Romanian Athenaeum building. The square itself doesn't have much beyond some statues and fountains. It mainly serves as a landmark and site for occasional rallies.

Travelers interested in Romania's history can view the balcony of the Central Committee building from where Ceaușescu gave his final speech before fleeing. A short walk leads to the Old Town's lively restaurants, cafes and bars. Revolution Square appeals most to adults interested in Romanian history, architecture and politics. Families can visit to see the buildings, fountains and statues. There is no admission fee to enter Revolution Square itself as it is a public space. Visitors can freely explore the square and view the exterior of surrounding landmarks. Entry to visit the interiors of some buildings like the National Museum of Art and the Athenaeum concert hall requires separate tickets.

9. Arcul de Triumf 

The Arcul de Triumf is a triumphal arch located in the northern part of Bucharest, Romania, at the intersection of Kiseleff Road and three boulevards – Constantin Prezan, Alexandru Averescu and Alexandru Constantinescu. The monument was designed by Romanian architect Petre Antonescu and built between 1921 and 1922 to commemorate Romania's victory in World War I. It was renovated in 1935-1936 and again more recently in 2014.

The arch stands 27 meters tall and features classic stonework and decorations created by famous Romanian sculptors such as Ion Jalea and Dimitrie Paciurea. There are symbolic medallions, inscriptions and bas-reliefs on the different faces of the arch highlighting Romania's sacrifices and victories in “The War to End All Wars”, as WW1 was known at the time.

Visitors to the Arcul de Triumf can view the small museum inside, accessed via interior staircases within the two pillars supporting the central arch. The museum features exhibitions related to Romania's participation in WWI. Visitors can also climb up to the roof terrace for views over the city. There is no admission fee to view the Arcul de Triumf or access the museum inside. The small museum and terrace access is limited to certain holidays or special events.

10. National Museum of Art of Romania

The National Museum of Art of Romania is an art museum located in the Royal Palace in Revolution Square, central Bucharest. It features collections of medieval and modern Romanian art, as well as an international collection assembled by the Romanian royal family. The museum is housed in the former Royal Palace, which was severely damaged during the 1989 revolution that led to the downfall of Nicolae Ceaușescu. The museum reopened in 2000 to the public, housing modern Romanian and international collections. The medieval art collection reopened in 2002, featuring works salvaged from monasteries destroyed during the Ceaușescu era.

The modern Romanian collection includes sculptures by Constantin Brâncuși and Ion Jalea, as well as paintings by Ștefan Luchian, Nicolae Grigorescu, Theodor Pallady and more. The international collection features works by great European masters like El Greco, Rembrandt, Rubens, Monet and Rodin. Some highlights in the museum include a plaster cast of Trajan's Column from Rome, paintings by 16th-century Italian artist Jacopo Bassano and Rembrandt's painting “The Return of the Prodigal Son”.

Visitors to the museum can view the art exhibitions in the three galleries dedicated to medieval, modern and international collections. There are also two halls for temporary exhibitions. Guided tours of the former Throne Hall and other historical palace spaces are offered on weekends.

11. National Museum of Romanian History

The National Museum of Romanian History is a history museum located inside the former Postal Services Palace on Calea Victoriei in the historic Lipscani district of Bucharest. It contains Romanian historical artifacts ranging from prehistoric times up to modern-day Romania. The museum has over 60 valuable exhibition rooms spread across over 8,000 square meters of space. Some of the highlights include a plaster cast replica of Trajan's Column from Rome, exhibits from the Geto-Dacian civilization that inhabited ancient Romania, a replica of the Byzantine Column of Emperor Justinian and a collection called the “Historical Treasury” featuring over 3,000 precious metal objects like jewelry, coins and crowns from ancient civilizations and figures in Romania's history.

Visitors can view the permanent exhibitions like the Treasury and Trajan's Column replica, as well as rotating temporary exhibits held in the central hallway of the museum. A “lapidarium” exhibition housed in the museum features epigraphic and architectural artifacts like tombstones, inscriptions, columns and sculptures dating from antiquity and the Middle Ages. The National Museum of Romanian History has a rich collection spanning from prehistoric pottery and tools to medieval weapons and icons to more modern displays like manuscripts, paintings, photographs and furniture. The diverse artifacts detail the culture and important periods in the history of the Romanian people.

12. Carturesti Carusel

Carturesti Carusel is a bookstore located in an 1860s historic building on Strada Lipscani in Bucharest's Old Town. It was opened in 2015 by Romania's largest bookstore chain Carturesti, in partnership with the building's owner, who had reclaimed and renovated it after decades of neglect under communism. The bookstore has six floors spanning over 1000 square meters, with elegant architecture featuring marble columns, wrought iron staircases, carved wooden bookshelves and a glass ceiling. It houses over 10,000 books covering all genres, as well as 5000 albums, DVDs, board games, local souvenirs and more.

Carturesti Carusel was designed as a cultural space. It features a modern art gallery on the first floor and a bistro cafe on the top floor with nice views of the old town. The multimedia basement has hosted book events. The luxurious interiors with plentiful reading nooks attract both book lovers and Instagrammers. It is considered one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world.

Visitors to Carturesti Carusel can browse and purchase books covering all genres of literature, along with music, movies, games, stationery, local handicrafts and more. Visitors can relax in one of the many reading spaces. Visitors can enjoy a drink or light meal at the bistro cafe on the top floor while taking in views of the Old Town or exploring the modern art gallery exhibitions. Occasional book events are also held in the multimedia basement.

Carturesti Carusel caters to a general audience, including adults, book lovers, families, tourists, etc. Its luxurious space and cafe also make it a popular Instagrammable destination. There is no admission cost to enter Carturesti Carusel. Visitors only need to pay if they purchase any books, items from the cafe menu or artwork. Browsing the bookstore and enjoying the architecture is free.

13. CEC Palace

The CEC Palace is a landmark heritage building located at 13 Calea Victoriei in Bucharest, Romania, directly across from the National Museum of Romanian History. It was built between 1897-1900 to serve as the headquarters of CEC Bank, Romania's oldest banking institution previously known as Casa de Economii si Consemnatiuni (The House of Deposits and Savings).

The building was constructed on a site formerly occupied by a 16th-century monastery that had fallen into disrepair. Its eclectic design by French architect Paul Gottereau combines neoclassical, baroque and Renaissance architectural elements. It is crowned by a large glass-and-metal dome in the center flanked by smaller domes at the corners, along with ornate facades decorated with columns, statues representing trade and commerce and pediments with coats of arms. Materials used include local Dobrogea stone and marble.

CEC bank still operates from the palace. Visitors can view the open lobby and basement levels which house a museum displaying a collection of artifacts related to Romanian banking history since 1864. This CEC Museum is free and open to the general public. CEC Palace appeals to a general audience interested in local history, architecture and banking heritage. No admission fees are charged to view the building exterior or visit the CEC Museum.

14. Memorial of Rebirth

The Memorial of Rebirth is a 25-meter tall marble monument located in Revolution Square, Bucharest, Romania, commemorating the struggles and victims of the 1989 Romanian Revolution that overthrew Communism. Inaugurated in August 2005, the memorial features a tall, white marble pillar meant to symbolize the Romanian people reaching to the sky. Atop the pillar is a metal crown wrapped around it, representing the suffering imposed by the Communist regime. The base of the monument features statues of faceless figures depicting those who fought for freedom and democracy. The memorial also includes a wall inscribed with over 1,000 names of those killed during the revolution. There is widespread agreement on the need for such a memorial. Its controversial modernist design has drawn criticism as being too abstract. The monument is referred to as “the potato of the revolution”, some see the monument as failing to adequately reflect the magnitude of suffering during Romania's transition out of Communism.

Visitors can view the monuments and statues up close and reflect on Romania's transition from communism. As the site of the revolution, Revolution Square contains other landmarks like the former Royal Palace to see as well. There are no admission fees required. The memorial would likely appeal to adults interested in Romania's modern history and transition from communism.

15. Monument of the Nation’s Heroes

The Monument of the Nation’s Heroes in Bucharest was originally built in 1963 as a Communist mausoleum honoring top party leaders. The Monument of the Nation's Heroes has been transformed into a memorial for Romanian heroes who died in the nation's wars. Located on a hilltop in Carol Park, Bucharest, the monument features a large circular base with five tall granite arches. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and statues related to Romania’s fights for independence lie inside.

The memorial aims to honor the sacrifice of soldiers who lost their lives in conflicts to defend the nation, spanning from 19th-century independence battles to the world wars of the 20th century. Through its redevelopment, the monument now proudly focuses on Romania’s own heroes rather than Communist leaders from the past.

Visitors can view the transformed monument, which now contains statues and history related to Romania's wars and independence struggles. Carol Park also offers opportunities for walking and exploration, with no admission fees required. The memorial appeals to visitors interested in Romania's national history and wars, particularly the World War eras.

16. The Monument to the Heroes of the Air

The Monument to the Heroes of the Air in Bucharest was inaugurated in 1935. The 20-meter-tall Monument to the Heroes of the Air stands in Bucharest’s Aviators' Square to commemorate pioneers and pilots who died advancing Romanian aviation. The stone obelisk contains 13 bronze plaques engraved with over 270 names of airmen and air heroes killed in crashes or battles through the mid-1930s.

The monument provides a tribute to the 270+ pilots and air pioneers killed in the early decades of Romanian aviation as it sought to grow and modernize its air capabilities. The monument continues to honor the sacrifices made by Romanian Air Force members in the early quest to conquer the skies. Visitors can view the monuments and statues up close. Public bus routes #126, #168, #226, #300 and #368 provide transit access to Aviators' Square. There are no admission fees. The monument would likely appeal most to aviation history buffs, particularly those interested in Romania's early air force.

17. Cantacuzino Palace (George Enescu Museum)

The Cantacuzino Palace, known as the George Enescu Museum, is a historic palace located in Bucharest, Romania. It was built in 1911 in French neoclassical style as the residence of Prince George G. Cantacuzino. It housed the George Enescu Museum, dedicated to the renowned Romanian composer, violinist, pianist, conductor and teacher George Enescu. The palace has historical and architectural significance as an early 20th-century aristocratic residence in Bucharest. The interiors preserve the authentic Belle Époque style and décor. It provides insight into George Enescu's life through his valuable manuscripts, photographs, personal items, furniture and artworks from his collections.

Visitors can take a guided tour to see the palace's rooms, including Enescu's music room, bedroom, library and more. The museum also hosts classical music recitals, album launches, book presentations and temporary exhibitions related to George Enescu and Romanian music.

The museum would appeal most to classical music fans, those interested in Romanian culture and history, architecture enthusiasts, etc. Guided tours for student groups are also available with prior booking.

18. Grigore Antipa Natural History Museum

The Grigore Antipa National Museum of Natural History in Bucharest is one of Romania's most prestigious natural history museums, founded in 1834. The museum started with the donation of over 150 minerals, fossils and animal specimens from Governor Mihalache Ghica. The museum grew significantly under the leadership of notable naturalists like Grigore Antipa, who served as director for over 50 years. The museum moved into a purpose-built neoclassical building designed by Grigore Cerchez, with ornate exterior sculptures representing themes of natural history. The museum contains over 2 million specimens in its diverse scientific collections, including extensive zoological, paleontological, geological and ethnographic artifacts.

Visitors can explore the permanent galleries showcasing Romania's diverse ecosystems and species. The museum caters to special temporary exhibitions, 3D films, artificial cave systems, interactive elements and educational programs and workshops. The museum is suitable for visitors of all ages, especially those interested in natural history, science and Romania's biodiversity. It is very popular with school groups.

What are the best museums to visit in Bucharest?

Listed below are the best museums to visit in Bucharest.

• National Museum of Romanian History. The National Museum of Romanian History is the largest history museum in Romania, located in Bucharest. It displays over 60,000 artifacts highlighting Romania's history and culture from prehistoric times to post-communist times. The museum is housed in the former Postal Services Palace at 12 Calea Victoriei Street, Bucharest. The neoclassical building was constructed between 1894 and 1900. Visitors can explore the extensive permanent collections and temporary exhibitions showcasing Romania's origins, the formation of the Romanian people and the country's more recent history. Guided tours are available.
• National Museum of Art of Romania. The National Museum of Art of Romania, located in the former Royal Palace, exhibits Romanian and European art dating back to medieval times until the modern era. The museum is home to Romania's largest public art collections, with over 100,000 works divided into three main galleries. one for medieval art, one for European masters and one for modern Romanian art from the 19th and 20th centuries. Visitors can admire paintings, sculptures, drawings, engravings and more by famous Romanian and European artists. Some renowned names include El Greco, Monet, Renoir, Rembrandt, Nicolae Grigorescu and Constantin Brancusi.
• National Museum of Contemporary Art. The National Museum of Contemporary Art (MNAC) inside the Palace of Parliament showcases Romanian and international contemporary art from 1945 until today. The MNAC has a permanent collection of over 1,200 works of Romanian contemporary art created after World War II. It also hosts 2 to 3 major temporary exhibitions per year dedicated to international contemporary artists. Visitors can view the latest trends in contemporary art across mediums like painting, sculpture, photography, video, installation and performance art by Romanian and foreign artists. Guided tours are available.
• Antipa Museum of Natural History. The Antipa Museum is Romania's national natural history and biodiversity museum, housing over 2 million exhibits relating to evolution, taxonomy, habitats and more. It is located at 12 Kiseleff Road, Bucharest. The museum building was constructed between 1912 and 1937 in a neoclassical style. Highlights of the museum include 60 exhibit halls with dioramas, fossils, minerals, rare species and the nearly complete skeleton of a mammoth. It also has a butterfly greenhouse, aquarium and geology hall with over 15,000 samples. Visitors can explore Romania's biodiversity and natural history through the museum's diverse galleries and exhibits. Many interactive displays make it engaging for children as well.
• Romanian Peasant Museum. The Romanian Peasant Museum illustrates Romanian peasant life's heritage, artifacts and culture. It has over 90,000 objects in its diverse collections. The museum is in a neo-Romanian-style historical building at 3 Kiseleff Road, Bucharest, close to Herăstrău Park. It houses an extensive array of folk art, tools, icons, costumes, textiles, ceramics and other artifacts that showcase Romanian peasants' traditional way of life. Some of the exhibits date back to the 1700s. Visitors can learn about Romanian peasant culture and history through the museum's artifacts and exhibits. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions and cultural events.

What are the best things to do in Bucharest with kids?

Listed below are the best things to do in Bucharest with kids.

• Therme Bucharest. Therme Bucharest is a massive indoor and outdoor water park with pools, waterslides and other attractions perfect for kids and families. It is located in northern Bucharest and provides a fun day out. Kids will love playing in the Adventure Pool, sliding down the Kamikaze Slide and exploring Palm Tree Island.
• Gradina Zoologica (The Bucharest Zoo). Gradina Zoologica, located in Bucharest, is a great place to see wildlife up close. It has over 137 species of animals, such as lions, tigers, bears, elephants, giraffes and more. Kids can observe the animals, feed some of them and learn about nature. The zoo also has playgrounds, a mini train ride and paddle boats for rent.
• Muzeul Taranului Roman (The Museum of the Romanian Peasant). Muzeul Taranului Roman gives kids insight into traditional Romanian culture and crafts. Kids can see pottery, costumes, icons and recreated peasant homes. The museum, located in Bucharest, hosts interactive workshops for children on weekends.
• Parcul Herastrau (Herastrau Park). Parcul Herastrau is a large green space with playgrounds, paddle boating on the lake and open areas perfect for picnics, walking or biking. The park is located in Bucharest and has an open-air museum village, ice skating rink and restaurants.
• Carturesti Carusel. Carturesti Carusel is a beautiful six-story bookstore in Bucharest with fun activities for kids. It has over 10,000 books, a bistro, rotating art exhibits and regular events. Kids will love riding the small carousel, playing in the reading treehouse and exploring the countless books.

What are the best activities for a business traveler in Bucharest?

Listed below are the best activities for a business traveler in Bucharest.

• Herăstrău Park. Herăstrău Park in Bucharest has a large green space with gardens, a lake, restaurants and cafes. The part is perfect for taking a break from meetings to go on relaxing walks or jogs along the scenic paths and lakeshore, allowing business travelers to clear their minds before the next day of business meetings.
• Village Museum. Village Museum in Bucharest is an open-air ethnographic museum featuring over 300 authentic Romanian peasant houses, farms, windmills, churches and other traditional structures relocated from rural areas and set up to replicate village life. The museum provides cultural insight to complement business discussions and meetings.
• Romanian Athenaeum. Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest is a concert hall and historic landmark home to the Romanian Philharmonic Orchestra. It hosts regular classical music performances across genres like orchestra, choir, soloists and more. It offers an elegant, cultured experience to continue conversations with colleagues after intense business meetings.
• Caru' cu Bere Restaurant. Caru' cu Bere Restaurant in Bucharest is known for its Gothic architectural details and filling, as well as its authentic local cuisine. It is a place to dine and continue conversations with colleagues over dishes like stuffed cabbage rolls, bean soup, grilled meats and sweet cheese desserts after a long day of business meetings.
• Old Town Area. Old Town Area is a bustling, atmospheric section of Bucharest's city center filled with historical buildings, narrow cobblestone walkways, independent shops and trendy bars, cafes, pubs and clubs featuring everything from quiet jazz nights to lively dancing venues to rock music. The area offers plenty of networking opportunities or places to unwind after intense business meetings.

Where is Bucharest?

Bucharest is the capital and largest city of Romania. It is located in the southeast of the country, about 140 kilometers (65 miles) North of the Danube River and the Bulgarian border. The city has an area of around 585 square kilometers (225 square miles). Bucharest sits on the Dâmbovița River, a small tributary of the Danube. Bucharest is Romania's chief commercial city and the center of Romanian culture and art, drawing millions of tourists and business travelers.

What is the history of Bucharest?

Bucharest's history traces back to the 15th century, with the first written mention in 1459 during the rule of Vlad Țepeș. Bucharest developed as a commercial center on routes between the Ottoman Empire and Central Europe. It became the capital of Wallachia in 1698 and continued growing, especially after a period of peace in the 1800s. Bucharest was proclaimed the capital of the United Romanian principalities in 1862 and the capital of Romania after independence in 1878. A lot of architecture and development occurred after this, naming Bucharest the “Little Paris”. Bucharest faced destruction but renewed growth and restoration in recent decades during World War II and communism.

What language is spoken in Bucharest?

The language spoken in Bucharest is Romanian. Romance language is closely related to languages like Italian and Spanish. Romanian is the native language of almost 90% of the Bucharest population. Other languages like English, French and German are often learned and spoken around Bucharest, especially in business, tourism and education. Some residents speak Romani as their first language. Hungarian and Turkish are spoken by parts of the Bucharest population. The cosmopolitan nature and international draw of Bucharest means many foreign languages can be heard on the streets, but the linguistic backdrop and common tongue is predominantly Romanian.

What time zone is Bucharest in?

Bucharest and all of Romania are located within the Eastern European Time Zone. Bucharest falls under Eastern European Time, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Bucharest uses EEST (UTC/GMT +3 hours) in summer months and EET (UTC/GMT +2 hours) in winter months each year.

How many people live in Bucharest?

The total population of Bucharest as of 2023 is 1,817,938. The gender breakdown is 49% male (883,888 men) and 51% female (934,050 women). The population shows 271,775 people aged 0-14 years old, with 139,652 boys and 132,119 girls. There are 294,545 people aged 15-29, consisting of 151,895 men and 142,648 women. The middle age group 30 44 has 358,911 total, with 186,012 men and 172,896 women. Ages 45-59 has the largest chunk with 419,517, made up of 209,415 men and 210,098 women. Elderly citizens over 60 years old make up 472,519 – 318,929 aged 60-74, 143,210 people aged 75-89 and 12,380 people over 90 years old. There are 189 centenarians in Bucharest – 79 men over 100 years old and 109 women over 100.

What are the most interesting facts about Bucharest?

Listed below are the most interesting facts about Bucharest.

• Currency. The currency used in Bucharest and all of Romania is the Romanian Leu (plural form is Lei). Romania is not part of the Eurozone, so Euros are generally not accepted except at some tourist-oriented businesses. Local currency is needed for most transactions.
• Time Zone. Bucharest is located in the Eastern European Time Zone, which is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+2) and 7 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time. Daylight Savings Time is observed from the end of March to the end of October, temporarily putting Bucharest 1 hour ahead (GMT+3) during summer.
• Language. The official language is Romanian, which belongs to the Romance language family (as a descendant of Latin) and is the native language of over 90% of Bucharest's residents. English and German have a strong prevalence as second languages in Bucharest, especially in central areas. Some basic Romanian phrases are still helpful to know.
• Power Plugs. Power sockets in Bucharest and all of Romania are Type F, which have two round pins, similar to most European countries. The standard voltage is 230 V. Travelers from America will need power converters and adapters for U.S. plug types. Many modern devices have built-in voltage converters, but power adapters are still needed to fit Romanian outlets. Checking devices' input voltage/frequency compatibility is recommended.

How many days are needed to see Bucharest?

It is recommended to stay for 2 to 3 days, which is enough time to see the highlights of Bucharest. Two to three days are enough to tour the city's historic center and its most important neighborhoods. This number of days allows immersion into Bucharest and surrounding areas, including multiple day trips and time to sample local cuisine and culture.

Is Bucharest worth visiting?

Yes, Bucharest is worth visiting. Bucharest is Romania's capital and largest city. Bucharest offers a vibrant mix of culture, history, architecture, arts, entertainment and nightlife. Key highlights include the vast Palace of Parliament, the Romanian Athenaeum concert hall, the historic Lipscani district and many museums and galleries. Bucharest has a dynamic food scene with traditional Romanian fare and cosmopolitan international cuisine. The city's historic buildings and churches provide a window into its complex past. Bucharest has a lively cafe, bar and club scene, especially in the Old Town. There are large green spaces and parks for relaxation. Bucharest is one of the European capitals to explore.

Is Bucharest expensive to visit?

No, Bucharest is generally considered an affordable destination compared to other European capitals. The average daily cost per person is €91 ($100, £79). Accommodation will likely be a visitor's biggest expense. Hostels and budget hotels provide cheaper options, while 3-star hotels average cost €73 ($80, £62)/ night. Public transportation like the metro, buses and trams are affordable, with single tickets that cost €1 ($2, £0.86). Eating out, especially local Hungarian food, is reasonably priced. A meal at a budget restaurant costs $10 €9 ($10, £7) per person. Bucharest offers an affordable travel experience for budget-conscious travelers while still providing nice hotels and good food options.

Is Bucharest safe to visit?

Yes, Bucharest is very safe to visit. It is one of Romania’s most popular tourist destinations. The city has low crime rates and is considered safe for travelers. Violent crime is rare in Bucharest. Tourist areas like the historic Lipscani district and Old Town are heavily frequented and considered safe. Bucharest's city center and attractions are well-lit and have a visible police presence. Basic precautions like being aware of your surroundings, not leaving belongings unattended and avoiding poorly lit areas at night will ensure your visit to Bucharest is trouble-free. The welcoming locals add to this beautiful coastal city's pleasant, safe atmosphere.

Is Bucharest easy to visit with kids?

Yes, Bucharest is easy to visit with kids. There are several museums and parks that cater well to children, such as the Natural History Museum, National Village Museum and Cismigiu Gardens. The Old Town area has pedestrian-only streets perfect for strolling with kids. Other kid-friendly attractions include the Grand Palace of Parliament, the Therme indoor water park, laser tag facilities and the Adventure Park amusement park. Bucharest is compact, affordable and has no shortage of things for kids to see and do.

What is Bucharest famous for?

Bucharest is known for its diversity and history, reflected in its eclectic architecture. Secondly, Bucharest is famous for the mammoth Parliament Palace, one of the largest administrative buildings in the world, which took 700 architects to build. Thirdly Bucharest's city center features a mixture of history, from the 15th-century Old Princely Court ruins to beautiful Belle Époque buildings, along with modern towers and communist-era blocks. Thirdly, the Old Town in Bucharest features bustling cafés, clubs and bars that give Bucharest a reputation as the “new Berlin”. Lastly, Bucharest is known as “Little Paris” for its French-inspired architecture and elegant reputation.

What are the most important people born in Bucharest?

Listed below are the most important people born in Bucharest.

• Ion Luca Caragiale (1852-1912). Ion Luca Caragiale was an an influential playwright born on Monday, January 30, 1852, near Ploiești, Bucharest. Ion Luca Caragiale was a hugely influential late 19th-century Romanian playwright and author considered one of Romania's greatest. Caragiale substantially impacted the evolution of Romanian theater with his realist drama and comedy, capturing the essence of society and human nature in his place and time. Caragiale molded the foundations of modern Romanian theater and paved the way for future artists. Caragiale died on June 9, 1912, in Berlin at age 60.

What to eat in Bucharest?

Listed below are what you can eat in Bucharest and Romania.

• Sarmale. Sarmale consists of minced pork and rice tightly wrapped and rolled within pickled cabbage leaves before being simmered in aromatic tomato sauce and finished with cooling sour cream and soft polenta. Sarmale is one of the popular foods visitors are raving about in Bucharest. It is one of the best food to eat in Romania.
• Mici. Mici is called “mititei” in Romanian. Mici are grilled skinless sausages normally made from a zesty blend of ground pork, beef and lamb before being served alongside spicy mustard, crusty bread or crispy fries. Mici is a popular food and is served at most markets in Bucharest.
• Scovergi. Scovergi refers to thin Romanian fried dough topped with sweet or savory ingredients like fruit jams, garlic butter or soft cheese, with the cheese-topped version being similar to Hungarian lángos fried flatbreads. Scovergi is one of the popular foods to try in Bucharest.
• Plăcintă. Plăcintă is a crispy, flaky Romanian pastry that encases fillings like tangy cheese, savory minced meat, fresh fruit or sweetened cocoa paste before being baked or fried to golden perfection. Plăcintă is a delicacy for visitors to try in Bucharest.
• Bulz. Bulz starts with sweet cornmeal baked into fluffy polenta, then gets mixed with Romanian sheep's milk cheese and topped with cured meats or a fried egg before serving. Bulz is one of the must-try delicacies in Bucharest.
• Ciorba. Ciorba refers to sour Romanian soups like silky tripe stew, hearty bean and smoked meat soup, always paired with vinegar or lemon wedges, cooling sour cream and crusty bread on the side. Ciorba is a popular soup served at restaurants in Bucharest.
• Papanasi. Papanasi are sweet, fried Romanian doughnuts stuffed with fresh white cheese, fruit jam and lightly sweetened sour cream. Papanasi is a popular finger food in Bucharest markets.

What are the best places to eat in Bucharest?

Listed below are the best places to eat in Bucharest.

• Caru' cu bere. Caru' cu bere is a historic restaurant in Bucharest known for its stunning Gothic-style interior décor with wood paneling, stained glass, vaulted ceilings and a patio. It serves typical Romanian dishes and has signature beer dating back to 1879. Many describe the food as very good and one of the best restaurants to eat in Bucharest.
• The ARTIST. The ARTIST is a contemporary fine dining restaurant in Bucharest led by Dutch chef Paul Oppenkamp. It offers a unique twist on seasonal Romanian cuisine using molecular gastronomy techniques to create tasting menus. The restaurant has an elegant atmosphere and intricate plating.
• Zexe Zahana. Zexe Zahana is a traditional Romanian restaurant located in Bucharest in an early 20th-century villa. The restaurant has a unique menu, including calf brain, bone marrow and sweetbreads and is known for excellent duck dishes.
• Vatra Restaurant. Vatra restaurant near Cismigiu Gardens in Bucharest serves some of the city's best traditional Romanian food like stuffed cabbage rolls, eggplant salad, grilled meats and papanashi fried dough dessert. The restaurant features live folk music and dance performances.

What are the best areas to stay in Bucharest?

Listed below are the best places to stay in Bucharest.

• Old Town. The Old Town is the most popular area for tourists visiting Bucharest for the first time. Located in the heart of the city, it contains many historic attractions like the Stavropoleos Monastery, Manuc's Inn and Curtea Veche Palace. The cobblestone streets are lined with restaurants, cafes, bars and shops, creating a lively day and night atmosphere. Staying in the Old Town allows easy access by foot to many of Bucharest's top sights. It is generally safe to walk around, especially for solo travelers, even at night, as there is a constant police presence.
• Cismigiu. Cismigiu is a primarily residential neighborhood located in Old Town. It surrounds Cismigiu Gardens, a beautiful public park with lakes, fountains and lush greenery. The area has an upscale vibe, with embassies, art galleries and restaurants scattered among the tree-lined streets. Cismigiu offers a quieter alternative to staying directly in the bustling Old Town while allowing easy foot access or by metro. The small streets feel very walkable and safe. It is a good area for solo travelers or families.
• Dorobanti. Dorobanti is an affluent residential area in northern Bucharest, close to major parks and green spaces. It contains many villas and embassies, lending it an exclusive atmosphere. The neighborhood is home to high-end international restaurants and is considered one of the top fine dining destinations in the city. The tree-lined streets and proximity to parks make Dorobanti a good area for leisurely strolls and safe for solo travelers.
• Floreasca. Floreasca is an upscale neighborhood in northern Bucharest, known for its beautiful homes and proximity to Lake Floreasca. It contains many restaurants, cafes, shops and nightlife spots catering to young professionals. Floreasca has a trendy, hipster vibe in places. The neighborhood provides easy access to large green spaces like Floreasca Park and Regele Mihai I Park for recreation. Floreasca is considered safe for solo travelers.
• Unirii. Unirii is a central neighborhood that contains major landmarks like Unirii Square, the Palace of the Parliament and the National Library. Unirii offers many mid-range and budget hotels near top attractions. It provides efficient metro connections around Bucharest. The area can feel crowded and chaotic in parts but has a constant police presence. Unirii is relatively safe for solo travelers.

What are the best accommodations to stay in Bucharest?

Listed below are the best accommodations to stay in Bucharest.

• InterContinental Bucharest. The 5-star InterContinental Bucharest is centrally located right next to the Old Town and close to top attractions like the Palace of Parliament. It offers elegant rooms with marble bathrooms, a spa and health club and multiple restaurants, including a sky bar with panoramic city views. The neighborhood is very walkable, with cafes, shops and nightlife. The hotel is one of the recommended hotels to stay in Bucharest.
• Rembrandt Hotel. Rembrandt Hotel is a 4-star hotel near the scenic Cismigiu Gardens and the Old Town, Bucharest. It provides modern rooms with free WiFi and minibars, along with an indoor pool, sauna and free breakfast. The area has a local vibe, with restaurants and art galleries.
• Hotel Amzei. The 4-star Hotel Amzei in Bucharest has spacious, stylish rooms with Nespresso machines and iPod docks. Hotel amenities include a lobby bar, gym, spa and free breakfast. The neighborhood is residential with embassies and parks, a short walk from the city center.
• Hotel Opera. Hotel Opera is an affordable 3-star hotel located right next to the Romanian Athenaeum concert hall in Bucharest. It offers simple, modern rooms and a breakfast room. The central location allows easy walking access to top attractions like the Old Town, museums and Parliament Palace.
• The Doors Hostel. The Doors Hostel in Old Town, Bucharest, provides dorms and private rooms with shared bathrooms. Common areas include a kitchen, bar, lounge with games and laundry facilities. Guests enjoy free breakfast and walking access to nightlife, restaurants and key sights.

How to get to Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport?

There are a few ways to get to Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport. These are by bus, car, taxi/rideshare and train. Firstly, express bus 783 runs from the airport to the city center (Piața Unirii) and buses run 24/7. The bus stop is located on the ground floor of the arrivals terminal. The journey takes 40 minutes, depending on traffic. Secondly, direct trains run every 40 minutes between the airport and the Gara de Nord train station in the city center. The train station is located outside the arrivals terminal. Thirdly, official airport taxis are available from the arrivals terminal. Visitors can also pre-book a taxi using apps like Uber, Bolt or Free Now. Lastly, the airport is connected to Bucharest's city center by the DN1/E60 highway by car. The drive takes 20-30 minutes in normal traffic. Rental car counters are located in the arrivals hall. Parking is also available at the airport. The fastest and most convenient options are taking a taxi or rideshare service. The train or bus are cheaper but involve more changes to reach central locations. Tickets can be purchased at counters/machines at the airport or in advance online where available.

Where to go shopping in Bucharest?

There are several great places to go shopping in Bucharest. These are AFI Palace Cotroceni, Baneasa Shopping City, Promenada Mall, Unirea Shopping Center and ParkLake Shopping Center. Firstly, AFI Palace Cotroceni is the largest shopping mall in Bucharest, located in the city center. The mall features Romania's largest shopping mall with over 300 stores, restaurants, entertainment like a rollercoaster and an IMAX cinema. Secondly, Baneasa Shopping City is a high-end shopping mall in Bucharest, located near the airport. It is a high-end shopping mall with over 250 international and Romanian designer brands. The mall has restaurants, cinemas and more. Thirdly, Promenada Mall is a large contemporary mall located in Bucharest that is easily accessible by public transportation. The mall caters to many popular shops, a rooftop terrace, a food court, a cinema and a grocery store. Fourthly, Unirea Shopping Center is an enclosed mall in the center of Bucharest close to major landmarks. Lastly, ParkLake Shopping Center is a popular mall designed near nature/park themes in Bucharest.

What festivals or events are taking place in Bucharest?

Listed below are the festivals or events that are taking place in Bucharest.

• George Enescu International Festival. The George Enescu International Festival is one of Europe's largest classical music festivals. It is held every two years in honor of the famous Romanian composer George Enescu. The 2023 edition takes place from September 1-23 at venues across Bucharest, including the Romanian Athenaeum concert hall. It features over 80 concerts, recitals, competitions and other cultural events. Top orchestras like the London Symphony Orchestra and Berlin Philharmonic perform along with renowned conductors and soloists. This is one of the anticipated festivals in Bucharest.
• Bucharest International Film Festival. This annual film festival is held September 15-24 in Bucharest and showcases the latest international independent and art house films. Hundreds of screenings, workshops and industry events take place in cinemas across Bucharest. There are ten competitive sections highlighting different genres and forms of cinema. The festival brings together international filmmakers, critics and enthusiasts to promote creativity in filmmaking.
• Spotlight Festival. Spotlight transforms Bucharest into an outdoor gallery of light art and video projections during this April 18-21 annual spring festival. Landmarks throughout the city center, including the Athenaeum, National Museum of Art and more, are illuminated with colorful, larger-than-life video projections created by local and international artists. The festival highlights Bucharest’s architecture through the interplay of light, video and urban space.
• Romanian Design Week. Romanian Design Week is a design festival held May 17 to 25 that puts a spotlight on Romania’s architecture, product design, graphic arts, fashion and more. It features over 200 exhibitions, conferences, workshops, product launches, block parties and cultural events in Bucharest’s creative Lipscani district. Romanian Design Week aims to promote local creativity and position Bucharest as an emerging design capital.

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Bucharest Travel Guide

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For many people, initial impressions of Bucharest (Bucureşti), a sprawling, dusty city of some two million people, are less than favourable. It’s Romania’s centre of government and commerce, and site of its main airport, so most visitors to the country will find themselves passing through the city at some point, but its chaotic jumble of traffic-choked streets, ugly concrete apartment blocks and monumental but mostly unfinished communist developments is often enough to send most travellers scurrying off to the more obvious attractions further north. Yet it’s a city that rewards patience, with a raft of terrific museums, first-rate restaurants and bars, and, behind the congested main arteries, some superb architecture and abundant greenery.

Bucharest’s festival calendar

Bucharest’s markets, calea victoriei, the centru civic, drinking and nightlife, entertainment, mogoşoaia palace, the northern suburbs, the old town, piaţa revoluţiei and piaţa enescu, piaţa universităţii, piaţa victoriei, systematization, the fall of the ceauşescus, west of piaţa universităţii.

The architecture of the old city, with its cosmopolitan air, was notoriously scarred by Ceauşescu’s redevelopment project in the 1980s, which demolished an immense swathe of the historic centre – including many religious buildings and thousands of homes – and replaced it with a concrete jungle, the compellingly monstrous Centru Civic . The centrepiece of this development was an enormous new palace for the communist leader, now known as the Palace of Parliament , which is Bucharest’s premier tourist attraction.

The heart of the city is the Piaţa Revoluţiei , the scene of Ceauşescu’s downfall and site of the old Royal Palace – now home to the superb National Art Museum , housing a fine collection of Romanian medieval art. It lies halfway along Bucharest’s historic north–south axis, the Calea Victoriei , which is still the main artery of city life; the city’s main junction, however, is the Piaţa Universităţii , scene of major events immediately after the 1989 revolution. To the south of here lies the scruffy but atmospheric historic centre , which these days owes its popularity to the welter of bars and restaurants crammed into its agreeably tatty streets.

North from Piaţa Victoriei, along the broad sweep of Şoseaua Kiseleff, lie Bucharest’s two best museums – the Museum of the Romanian Peasant , with its marvellous exhibits on peasant life and superbly reconstructed buildings, and the Village Museum , an assemblage of vernacular buildings garnered from Romania’s multifarious regions. There’s plenty of greenery to explore, too – most obviously the tranquil Cişmigiu Gardens in the heart of the city, and the more expansive Herăstrău Park , on the shores of the lake of the same name.

From Bucharest, there are excellent rail and road connections to the rest of the country, but local bus and train services to the towns and villages in the immediate vicinity are often limited or tortuous. There are, however, some enjoyable visits to be had just outside the capital, most notably the lake and monastery at Snagov , the palace at Mogoşoaia and the village of Clejani , known for its outstanding Gypsy music.

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Bucharest’s festival scene has been slow to gather pace but there now exists a handful of excellent events. The undoubted highlight of the city’s cultural offerings is the biennial (odd numbered years) George Enescu Festival in September, which features three weeks of classical concerts by some of the world’s finest musicians, including the likes of the Berlin Philharmonic and the London Symphony Orchestra. The event features a full programme of concerts at the Atheneum and Sala Palatalui venues, as well as recitals, movie screenings, events on Piaţa Revoluţiei and exhibitions on Enescu. Taking place in the second week of May, Europafest is the year’s most eclectic event, a gathering of Europe-wide artists performing pop, jazz, blues and classical music concerts, plus workshops, competitions and jam sessions at venues around the city. The big screen is represented courtesy of the April Bucharest International Film Festival (BIFF), which features an impressive roster of both new domestic and foreign (mainly European) movies, with screenings at Cinema Studio on B-dul Magheru and Elvira Popescu inside the French Institute. In November, the UrbanEye Film Festival presents an intriguing selection of films centred on urban themes, with a strong architectural bent to many of the works.

Bucharest hosts some terrific – if occasionally chaotic – markets. The daddy of them all is the recently modernized Piaţa Obor (Metro Obor), which offers all sorts, from fresh produce and clothing to communist-era memorabilia; you can grab some superb mittitei here too. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings, there’s a terrific farmer’s market (Targul Ţaranului) at the intersection of B-dul Unirii and Str. Nerva Traian (tram #32 from Piaţa Unirii), where you can pick up all manner of fresh foodstuffs. Otherwise, the best of the daily food markets are Piaţa Amzei, near Piaţa Romană, and Piaţa Matache, near the Gara de Nord, the latter useful for stocking up for before a long journey. The vast Sunday-morning flea market (Târgul Vitan) on Şos. Vitan-Bârzeşti, fifteen minutes’ walk south of the Dristor I metro station (or bus #123 from Piaţa Unirii), alongside the Dâmboviţa embankment, is something to behold. Beware of pickpockets here.

Originally laid out in the late seventeenth century as a wood-paved avenue named Podul Mogoşoaiei, Calea Victoriei (Avenue of Victory) has been Bucharest’s most fashionable street since wealthy boyars first built their residences along it. The arrival of the boyars encouraged Bucharest’s most prestigious shops to open along the avenue and, after it was repaved and took its present name in 1918, strolling along the avenue became de rigueur , causing the writer Hector Bolitho to remark that “to drive down the Calea Victoriei between twelve and one o’clock will prove you a provincial or a stranger”. Along the street were “huddles of low, open-fronted shops where Lyons silk and Shiraz carpets were piled in the half-darkness beside Siberian furs, English guns and Meissen porcelain”, while lurking in the side streets were starving groups of unemployed, lupus-disfigured beggars and dispossessed peasants seeking justice in the capital’s courts. An avenue of marked contrasts, the quieter northern end still seems verdant and sleepy with touches of Old-World elegance, while to the south it becomes an eclectic jumble of old apartment buildings, upmarket hotels, shops and banks. A more recent addition is an excellent cycle lane (a rarity in Bucharest), which, encouragingly, the locals seem to have taken to with relish.

In 1971, Ceauşescu visited North Korea and returned full of admiration for the grandiose avenues of Kim II Sung’s capital, Pyongyang. Thirteen years later, inspired by what he had seen, Ceauşescu set out to remodel Bucharest as “the first socialist capital for the new socialist man”, and to create a new administrative centre which was to be “a symbolic representation of the two decades of enlightenment we have just lived through”. In truth, of course, this Centru Civic was meant to embody the state’s authority and that of Ceauşescu himself. Implementing this megalomaniac vision entailed the demolition of a quarter of Bucharest’s historic centre (about five square kilometres), said to be slums damaged by the 1977 earthquake, but in fact containing nine thousand largely untouched nineteenth-century houses, whose forty thousand inhabitants were relocated in new developments on the outskirts of the city. There was worldwide condemnation of this vandalism, particularly since many old churches were to be swept away. Though some of the churches were in the end reprieved, they are now surrounded by huge modern apartment blocks and are separated from the urban context that gave them meaning. The core of the complex was largely completed by 1989, just in time for the dictator’s overthrow.

Uniting the two halves of the Centru Civic is Bulevardul Unirii which, at 4km long and 120m wide, is slightly larger – intentionally so – than the Champs-Élysées, after which it was modelled. Midway along is Piaţa Unirii (Square of Union), an oversized expanse of concrete dominated by traffic, and notable only as a key metro interchange, as the site of the city’s main department store – the slicked-up Unirea – and as the best place to view the extraordinary Palace of Parliament.

Palatul Parlamentului

Dominating the entire project from the western end of Bulevardul Unirii is the colossal Palatul Parlamentului (Palace of Parliament), claimed to be the second-largest administrative building in the world – after the Pentagon – measuring 270m by 240m, and 86m high. It epitomizes the megalomania that overtook Ceauşescu in the 1980s; here he intended to house ministries, Communist Party offices and the apartments of high functionaries. Built on the site of the former Spirei Hill, which was razed for this project, the sheer size of the building can only be grasped by comparison with the toy-like cars scuttling past below. It has twelve storeys, four underground levels (including a nuclear bunker), a 100m-long lobby and 1100 rooms, around half of which are used as offices while the remainder are redundant. The interiors are lavishly decorated with marble and gold leaf, and there are 4500 chandeliers (11,000 were planned), the largest of which weighs 1.5 tonnes, but the decoration was never finished due to the Ceauşescus’ ever-changing whims. They were demanding patrons, allowing little more than a technical role to the architects, of which there were around seven hundred – one staircase was rebuilt three times before they were satisfied.

This huge white elephant was officially known as the Casa Republicii, then as the Casa Poporului, but more popularly as the Casa Nebunului (Madman’s House), before taking on its present name. The new government spent a long time agonizing about an acceptable use for it, and in 1994 it was finally decided to house the Senate and Parliament here; it is now also used for international conferences.

There are several different tours available. The standard one is a 45-minute trek through ten of the most dazzling, most representative or simply the largest of the halls, such as the extraordinary, glass-ceilinged Sala Unirii (Unification Hall), where legendary Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci was married in 1996. One of the last chambers you’re led to is the Alexandru Ioan Cuza room, whose balcony offers defining views of the city. Other tours take in the basement, terrace or both. The palace is so popular (particularly with tour groups) that you’d do well to time your visit for the start or the end of the day.

Muzeul Naţional de Artă Contemporană

Located in the building’s west wing (to the rear of the palace) is the Muzeul Naţional de Artă Contemporană (National Museum of Contemporary Art). Accessed via a specially constructed glass annexe and external elevators (which, as they take you up, give you some idea of the breathtaking scale of this building), it’s a superbly designed space covering four floors. All the works on display are temporary (typically two- or three-month rotating programmes), featuring both Romanian and international artists, and mostly take the form of multimedia installations (including large-screen projections), sculptures, collages, montages and photographic displays.

Some 40km southwest of Bucharest is the small village of CLEJANI , renowned throughout the region as a centre for Gypsy music , spawning members of the world-famous bands Taraf de Haidouks and Mahala Rai Banda, as well as a number of other wonderfully talented musicians. If you’re a fan of such music, or if you’re just interested in experiencing Gypsy culture close up, then take half a day to visit the village – if you’re lucky, you may get to hear some of the spellbinding music first-hand.

Bucharest does not immediately strike visitors as a place bursting with nightlife, but this is partly because, like the best of the city’s restaurants, many places are discreetly tucked away or concentrated in unlikely areas of the city. That said, the Old Town quarter has undergone a remarkable resurgence, and on any given night you’ll find the tightly packed ranks of cafés and bars full to the gills. It’s here, too, that you’ll find a growing number of wine bars , something that it was hitherto impossible to find in Bucharest. The city’s club scene is among the best in the Balkans, and there are now some choice venues scattered around town, increasingly catering to a more discerning range of musical tastes. Bucharestians, however, have long been starved of decent live music , a situation reflected in the dearth of quality venues.

Between the World Wars, Bucharest was famed for its bacchanals, gourmet cuisine and Gypsy music – but all this ended with the puritanical postwar regime of communism. The immediate post-communist era was little better – a veritable culinary wasteland – but in recent years the restaurant scene has improved beyond all recognition. There’s been a welcome diversification in both the range of cuisines available and the types of establishments entering the fray, such as The Artist , currently performing gastronomic wonders, and Beca’s Kitchen , where fresh, inventive cooking is the order of the day. Moreover, eating out, even at the more upmarket places, remains remarkably affordable.

Bucharest’s cultural forte is undoubtedly classical music , thanks largely to the work of the internationally renowned George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra. Opera , ballet and theatre performances, too, are invariably excellent, with ostentatious sets and huge casts. Prices for performances are incredibly cheap, typically costing between €2 and €15. It’s still the case that few genuinely major rock or pop stars play Bucharest, and – with a few exceptions – those that do tend to be past their sell-by date. Note that most theatres and concert halls close during the summer.

The lovely palace at MOGOŞOAIA , 10km northwest of Bucharest along the DN1, is perhaps Wallachia’s most important non-religious monument. Designed by Constantin Brâncoveanu between 1698 and 1702 as a summer residence for his family, it’s a two-storey building of red brick with a fine Venetian-style loggia overlooking a lake. After Brâncoveanu’s execution, the palace became an inn then, after a fire destroyed the interior, a warehouse. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, the palace was passed to the Bibescu family (descendants of Brâncoveanu), before finally being handed over to the state in 1956, following the arrest of Martha Bibescu (1886–1973); one of Romania’s great literary heroines, Bibescu spent the remainder of her life in Paris.

The Şoseaua Kiseleff , a long, elegant avenue lined with lime trees, extends north from Piaţa Victoriei towards the Herăstrău Park and the Village Museum , one of Romania’s best open-air museums, before heading out towards the airports and the main road to Transylvania. Modelled on the Parisian chaussées (typically, long straight avenues made from gravel or crushed stone), though named after a Russian general, Şoseaua Kiseleff is a product of the Francophilia that swept Romania’s educated classes during the nineteenth century; it even has its own version of the Arc de Triomphe.

Muzeul Satului

Bucharest’s most outstanding sight is the Muzeul Satului (Village Museum) on the shores of Lake Herăstrău – the entrance is on Şoseaua Kiseleff, just up from the Arc de Triumf. Established in 1936, this wonderful ensemble of over three hundred dwellings, workshops, churches, windmills, presses and other structures from every region in the country illustrates the extreme diversity of Romania’s folk architecture.

Most interesting are the oak houses from Maramureş with their rope-motif carvings and shingled roofing, and beamed gateways carved with animals and hunting scenes, Adam and Eve and the Tree of Life, and suns and moons. Other highlights are the heavily thatched dwellings from Sălciua de Jos in Alba county; dug-out homes, or “pit” houses (with vegetables growing on the roof) from Drăghiceni and Castranova in Oltenia; colourfully furnished homesteads from Moldavia; and windmills from Tulcea county in the Delta. Keep an eye out, too, for the beautiful wooden church from the village of Dragomireşti in Maramureş. Mud-brick dwellings from the fertile plains ironically appear poorer than the homes of peasants in the less fertile highlands where timber and stone abound, while the importance of livestock to the Székely people of Harghita county can be seen by their barns, which are taller than their houses. The terrific souvenir shop here is the best place in the city to buy folk art objects, including textiles and costumes, ceramics and woodenware.

Parcul Herăstrău

Laid out in 1936, Parcul Herăstrău provides welcome respite from the city’s sweltering heat. Beyond the entrance, paths run past formal flowerbeds to the shore of Lake Herăstrău , one of the largest of a dozen lakes strung along the River Colentina. Created by Carol II to drain the unhealthy marshes that surrounded Bucharest, these lakes form a continuous line across the northern suburbs. Arched bridges lead to the small and fragrant Island of Roses , where the alleyways are lined with the busts of Romanian and foreign luminaries – Brâncuşi, Eminescu, Shakespeare and the like (some are more convincing than others). Beyond here, paths wend their way round to numerous lakeside snack bars and restaurants, as well as a landing stage from where you can rent rowing boats or take a thirty-minute lake cruise. Located near the park’s other entrance, which is at the northern end of Şoseaua Kiseleff, near Piaţa Presei Libere, is the Expo – an enormous pavilion now hosting what must surely be one of the biggest beer halls anywhere in Europe.

The residential area east of the park is one of Bucharest’s most exclusive neighbourhoods. It is where the communist elite once lived, cordoned off from the masses they governed; the Ceauşescus lived at the east end of Bulevardul Primăverii, in the Vila Primavera, which is set to be opened to tourists. The area is still inhabited by technocrats, artists and members of the elite.

The Skopţi coachmen

The Skopţi coachmen , who worked along the Şoseaua Kiseleff until the 1940s, made up one of the curiosities of Bucharest. Members of a dissident religious sect founded in Russia during the seventeenth century – and related to the Lipovani of the Danube Delta – the Skopţi ritually castrated themselves in the belief that the “generative organs are the seat of all iniquities”, interpreting literally Christ’s words on eunuchs in the Gospel of St Matthew. This was done after two years of normal married life – a period necessary to ensure the conception of future Skopţi. Driving droshkys pulled by black Orloff horses, the coachmen wore caftans sprouting two cords, which passengers tugged to indicate that the driver should turn left or right.

Bound by Piaţa Unirii to the south, Calea Victoriei to the west and Bulevardul I.C. Brătianu to the east, the Old Town – an area more commonly known as Lipscani – was mercifully spared Ceauşescu’s bulldozers, and it now offers a welcome respite from the concrete monotony of the Centru Civic. The main thoroughfare is Strada Lipscani itself, a lively street named after the merchants from Leipzig who traded here in the eighteenth century. An otherwise picturesque and agreeably ramshackle maze of streets and decrepit houses, Bucharest’s oldest neighbourhood has been undergoing painfully slow regeneration for years, and while many parts of it remain desperately run-down, the sheer volume of restaurants, cafés and bars in the area makes it the place to party in town.

Piaţa Revoluţiei (Square of Revolution), a large, irregularly shaped square sliced down the middle by Calea Victoriei, was created in the 1930s to ensure a protective field of fire around the Royal Palace in the event of revolution. While Romania’s monarchy was overthrown by other means, the square fulfilled its destiny in 1989, when the Ceauşescus were forced to flee by crowds besieging Communist Party headquarters; two days of fighting left the buildings around the square burnt out or pockmarked with bullet holes – with the conspicuous exception of the Central Committee building, which was at the centre of the storm.

Across the road from the Royal Palace, you can’t fail to notice the 13m-high statue of King Carol I on horseback, erected as recently as 2010, though not without controversy. The original statue, by renowned Croatian sculptor Ivan MeŠtrovíc, was melted down by the communists in 1948 following the abolition of the monarchy (conveniently, the bronze was reused to make a statue of Lenin), though this current edition is widely regarded as far inferior to MeŠtrovíc’s, in part because the authorities failed to reach agreement with the MeŠtrovíc family over the use of the sculptor’s original sketches. Behind the statue is the University Library , totally gutted in December 1989 – with the loss of some half a million books – but now rebuilt and housing offices. Piaţa Enescu sits just to the north of Piaţa Revoluţiei, and is notable for a couple of historically and culturally important buildings.

Ateneul Român

Laying fair claim to being Bucharest’s finest building, the Ateneul Român (Romanian Atheneum) is a magnificent Neoclassical structure built in 1888 by French architect Albert Galleron. It’s fronted by six elegant columns, behind which, in the peristyle, are five circular mosaics, each one depicting a Romanian ruler, including King Carol I. Funded almost entirely by Bucharest’s citizens, after the original patrons ran out of money, this is one of the few remaining circular auditoriums in Europe, the magnificent interior featuring a rampantly fin-de-siècle dome decorated with lyres. If at all possible, you should try and catch a concert by the resident George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra, named after Romania’s beloved national composer. Piaţa Enescu, the tidy little park in front, features a statue of Enescu, who first performed at the Atheneum in 1898.

Palatul Regal and Muzeul Naţional de Artă

The most imposing of the buildings surrounding the Piaţa Revoluţiei is the former Palatul Regal (Royal Palace), which occupies most of the western side of the square. When the original single-storey dwelling burnt down in 1927, the king, Carol II, decided to replace it with something far more impressive. The surrounding dwellings were razed in order to build a new palace, with discreet side entrances to facilitate visits by Carol’s mistress, Magda Lupescu, and the shady financiers who formed the couple’s clique. However, the resultant sprawling brownstone edifice has no real claim to elegance and the palace was spurned as a residence by Romania’s postwar rulers, Ceauşescu preferring a villa in the northern suburbs pending the completion of his own palace in the Centru Civic.

Since 1950, the palace has housed the Muzeul Naţional de Artă (National Art Museum) in the Kretzulescu (south) wing. During the fighting in December 1989, this building was among the most seriously damaged of the city’s cultural institutions, and over a thousand pieces of work were destroyed or damaged by gunfire and vandals. After a massive reconstruction project, during which time many of the items were repaired, the museum reopened and now holds a marvellous collection of European and Romanian art. Before entering, take a look at the photographs hung along the rails, which graphically illustrate the damage sustained by the palace during both the 1927 fire and the revolution.

Gallery of Romanian Medieval Art

Comprising works from every region of the country, the museum’s exhaustive Gallery of Romanian Medieval Art is quite spectacular, and the one section to see if pushed for time. Highlights of the first few halls include a fresco of The Last Supper – a mid fourteenth-century composition retrieved from St Nicholas’s Church in Curtea de Argeş – and a carved oak door from 1453 with shallow figurative reliefs from the chapel of Snagov monastery (which no longer exists). The Monastery Church in Curtea de Argeş is represented by some remarkably well-preserved icons and fresco fragments, while there are also some quite beautiful Epitaphios, liturgical veils embroidered on silk or velvet which were usually used for religious processions. Among the most memorable pieces is a sumptuous gilded Kivotos (a vessel used for holding gifts) in the shape of an Orthodox church, which was presented to Horezu monastery by Constantin Brâncoveanu, and some exquisite miniature wood-carved processional crosses from Moldavia, chiefly remarkable for the astonishing detail contained within – typically, scenes from the life of Christ. The standout items from the latter halls are the church door and iconostasis retrieved from Cotroceni Palace, fresco fragments from Enei Church, and a wood-carved iconostasis by Brâncoveanu from Arnota monastery. Trumping both of these, however, is a 6m-high, nineteenth-century carved walnut iconostasis taken from the Prince Şerban Church in Bucharest, albeit without the icons. The workmanship is extraordinary, featuring, in the finest detail, angels and cherubs, double-headed eagles and warriors on horseback.

Gallery of Romanian Modern Art

Up on the second floor, the Gallery of Romanian Modern Art features the best of the country’s nineteenth- and twentieth-century painters, not least Romania’s greatest artist, Nicolae Grigorescu. Look out for his brilliant character paintings, The Turk, Jew with a Goose, Gypsy Girl from Ghergani and the dramatic The Spy . There are no less sizeable contributions from Aman and Andreescu, both of whom were heavily influenced by the Barbizon School. Pallady, meanwhile, is represented by a clutch of typically suggestive nudes.

There’s a terrific assemblage of sculpture, too, by the likes of Storck ( Mystery ) and Paciurea, whose grisly God of War is just one of several Chimeras. Most visitors, though, come to see the work of Constantin Brâncuşi, Romania’s one truly world-renowned artist. Using various media, Brâncuşi displayed his versatility in a sublime body of work, including the beautiful white marble head of a sleeping woman ( Sleep ), a bronze, weeping nude ( The Prayer ) and the limestone-carved Wisdom of the Earth .

European Art Gallery

Though not nearly as exciting as the Romanian galleries, the European Art Gallery (entrance A1) nevertheless contains an impressive array of work spanning the fourteenth to the twentieth centuries. Divided by schools, it has particularly fine paintings from Italian and Spanish artists, including Tintoretto’s The Annunciation and Cano’s beautifully mournful Christ at the Column . Among the line-up of predominantly lesser-known artists is a sprinkling of superstar names, including El Greco (three paintings, the pick of which is a colourful Adoration of the Shepherds ), Rubens ( Portrait of a Lady ), Monet ( Camille and Boats at Honfleur ) and a painting apiece by Renoir ( Landscape with House ) and Sisley ( The Church at Moret in Winter ). Look out, too, for Pieter Bruegel’s spectacularly detailed and gruesome Massacre of the Innocents . The most prominent piece of sculpture is MeŠtrovíc’s superb bronze bust of King Carol I. No less impressive is the decorative art section, which contains one of the museum’s oldest items, the Reichsadlerhumpen Goblet from Bavaria, dating from 1596.

Piaţa Universităţii is the focus of city life and traffic, and was one of the key sites of the 1989 revolution, as evinced by the numerous memorials (note the ten stone crosses in the road island) to those killed at Christmas 1989 and in June 1990. The latter marks the date on which miners, under Iliescu’s orders, drove out students who had been on hunger strike since April 30, causing the square to be nicknamed Piaţa Tiananmen. The most poignant of the memorials is the black cross and wall plaque at B-dul Bălcescu 18, some 200m north of the InterContinental hotel – this marks the spot where the first victim, Mihai Gătlan, aged 19, fell at 5.30pm on December 21.

The northern end of Calea Victoriei culminates in Piaţa Victoriei , a vast circular space around which drivers maniacally jockey for position. The buildings surrounding the square are your archetypal Socialist monstrosities, not least the main government building, the hulking Palaţul Victoria , completed in 1944 but even then already showing a chilly Stalinist influence in its design. The main reason you’re likely to wind up here is for the clutch of fine museums nearby.

Muzeul Ţăranului Romăn

Housed in an imposing, neo-Brâncovenesc redbrick building, the Muzeul Ţăranului Romăn (Museum of the Romanian Peasant) ranks a very close second to the Village Museum as the top museum in the city. On show is a wonderful display of traditional peasant artefacts from all regions of Romania, including colourfully woven linen and textiles, carvings, ceramics and a fabulous hoard of icons painted on wood and glass. Nothing, though, beats the exquisite collection of two thousand miniature clay toys , many shaped into zoomorphic forms, such as cuckoos, horses and lions, as well as bird- and dog-shaped pipes. Of the several impressively reconstructed buildings dotted around the museum, the most eye-catching is an eighteenth-century windmill from Haţeg county, an enormous contraption that took three years to piece back together. Similarly, a thick-set peasant dwelling from Gorj county, comprising three rooms, a loft for storage and a superb porch/balcony, took around a year to reconstruct. There is also an incomplete timber church from Hunedoara, around which lie some of its furnishings – altar doors, a holy table, church bells and so on. A wooden church, typical of those found in Maramureş, stands on a neat patch of grass at the rear of the museum. One of the best places in the city for souvenirs, the museum shop sells a beautiful assortment of rugs, costumes and other folksy objects, while, to the rear, there’s a pleasant café. Look out, too, for the monthly craft fairs held in the courtyard.

The entire premises were actually occupied by the Museum of Communist Party History until 1990, and there are still remnants from this time in the small basement , which contains a curious collection of paintings and busts of former communist leaders. Notably, there’s nothing pertaining to Ceauşescu – most images of the dictator were destroyed following his execution.

SNAGOV , a sprawling village 40km north of Bucharest, is the most popular weekend destination for Bucharestians. Its beautiful 19km-long lake has watersports facilities and a reserve for water plants, such as Indian waterlily, arrowhead and oriental beech. In the centre of the lake is an island occupied by a monastery built in 1519. King Mihai and later Ceauşescu and other high functionaries had their weekend villas around the shore, and the lake was also the scene of the summit which saw Yugoslavia’s expulsion from the Warsaw Pact in 1948. Bălcescu and other revolutionaries of 1848 were held in the monastery’s prison, as was the Hungarian leader Imre Nagy following the Soviet invasion of 1956.

Systematization was Ceauşescu’s policy to do away with up to half of the country’s villages and move the rural population into larger centres. The concept was first developed by Nikita Khrushchev in the Soviet Union in 1951, to combat the movement of younger people to the towns by amalgamating villages to raise the standard of rural life. In 1967 Ceauşescu reorganized Romania’s local government system and announced a scheme to get rid of up to 6300 villages and replace them with 120 new towns and 558 agro-industrial centres.

Ceauşescu thought that by herding people together into apartment buildings so that “the community fully dominates and controls the individual”, systematization would produce Romania’s “new socialist man”. However, the project was forgotten while Ceauşescu was preoccupied by other projects such as the Danube–Black Sea Canal and Bucharest’s Centru Civic, but he relaunched it in March 1988, when he was becoming obsessed with increasing exports and paying off the national debt.

The model development was to be the Ilfov Agricultural Sector , immediately north of Bucharest, where the first evictions and demolitions took place in August 1988. Only two or three days’ notice was given before shops were closed down and bus services stopped, forcing the people into the designated villages. En route to Snagov, you’ll pass through the area most notoriously affected by the systematization programme. Baloteşti , just north of Henri Coandă airport, consists of stark modern apartment buildings, housing people displaced from villages such as Dimieni, which lay just east of the airport. Vlădiceasca and Cioflinceni, just off the DN1 on the road to Snagov, were bulldozed and the inhabitants resettled in Ghermăneşti, on the western outskirts of Snagov. In other villages across the nation, ugly concrete Civic Centre buildings began to appear in the centres of the planned New Towns.

There was widespread condemnation of this scheme that was set to uproot half of the rural populace; in August 1988, the Cluj academic Doina Cornea , one of the country’s few open dissidents, wrote an open letter (published in the West) in protest, pointing out that the villages, with their unbroken folk culture, are the spiritual centre of Romanian life, and that to demolish them would be to “strike at the very soul of the people”. She was soon placed under house arrest, but the campaign abroad gathered pace. Approximately eighteen villages had suffered major demolitions by the end of 1989, when the scheme was at once cancelled by the FSN, the new ruling party following the revolution.

Romania’s revolution was the most dramatic of the popular revolts that convulsed Eastern Europe in 1989. On the morning of December 21, 1989, a staged demonstration – organized to show support for the Ceauşescu regime following days of rioting against it in Timişoara – backfired spectacularly. Eight minutes into Ceauşescu’s speech from the balcony of the Central Committee building, part of the eighty-thousand-strong crowd began chanting “Ti-mi-şoa-ra”; the leader’s shock and fear were televised across Romania before transmissions ceased. From that moment, it was clear that the end of the Ceauşescu regime was inevitable. Though the square was cleared by nightfall, larger crowds poured back the next day, emboldened by news that the army was siding with the people in Timişoara and Bucharest. Strangely, the Ceauşescus remained inside the Central Committee building until noon, when they scrambled aboard a helicopter on the roof, beginning a flight that would end with their execution in a barracks in Târgovişte, on Christmas Day.

The revolution was tainted by the suspicion of having been stage-managed by the National Salvation Front (FSN) that took power in the name of the people. The FSN consisted of veteran communists, one of whom later let slip to a journalist that plans to oust the Ceauşescus had been laid months before. Among the oddities of the “official” version of events were Iliescu’s speech on the Piaţa Revoluţiei at a time when “terrorist” snipers were causing mayhem in the square, and the battle for the Interior Ministry, during which both sides supposedly ceased firing after a mysterious phone call. Given the hundreds of genuine “martyrs of the revolution”, the idea that it had been simply a ploy by Party bureaucrats to oust the Ceauşescus was shocking and potentially damaging to the new regime – so the secret police were ordered to mount an investigation, which duly concluded that while manipulation had occurred, the Russians, Americans and Hungarians were to blame.

Generally speaking, Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta – Bucharest’s main east–west axis heading west from Piaţa Universităţii – merits little attention, but there are a handful of sights worth exploring the further along you go, not least the tranquil Cişmigiu Gardens and, beyond here, the stately Cotroceni Palace .

Gradina Cişmigiu

Midway along Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta, the lovely Gradina Cişmigiu (Cişmigiu Gardens) were laid out as a park on land bequeathed to the city in 1845. Originally belonging to a Turkish water inspector, the gardens now fittingly contain a serpentine lake upon which small rowing boats and pedalos glide, rented by couples seeking solitude among the swans and weeping willows. Otherwise, the gardens simply provide a tranquil space, with workers snoozing beneath the trees at lunch times and pensioners meeting for games of chess. At the park’s northern end, a Roman garden contains busts of some of Romania’s literary greats while, for kids, there’s an attractive little playground next to the lake.

Palatul Cotroceni

The Palatul Cotroceni (Cotroceni Palace) was built as a monastery by Şerban Cantacuzino between 1679 and 1682 and served as a base for the Austrian army in 1737, the Russian army in 1806 and Tudor Vladimirescu’s rebels in 1821. Damaged by numerous fires and earthquakes over the course of its history, the original building was demolished in 1863 and the palace rebuilt from 1893 to 1895 to provide a home for the newly wed Prince Ferdinand and Princess Marie – it remained a residence for the royal family until 1939. Under communism, it served as the Palace of the Pioneers – the “Pioneers” being the Soviet-bloc equivalent of the Boy Scouts. A new south wing was added during restoration following the 1977 earthquake and this is now used for presidential functions. In 1984, Ceauşescu had the church demolished, apparently because it spoilt the view; this has since been replaced by a replica, completed in 2009. The church’s original bell tower, from 1679, still stands.

Tours pass first through the remains of the monastery, where the Cantacuzino family gravestones are kept, then through the new rooms from the 1893–95 rebuild, decorated throughout by French architect, Paul Gottereau. The style is eclectic, to say the least, taking in a variety of Western styles, though there’s a notably strong German influence, inevitable given Ferdinand’s stock. The most eye-catching rooms are the Flowers Room, a beautifully light and airy space with richly stuccoed walls and ceilings, and Ferdinand’s small, French-style library furnished in maple and sycamore wood.

Top image: Bucharest © Shutterstock

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updated 03.09.2021

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